Conducting specialized surveys to extract 'certain statistics' of gender and sexual minorities

Six years have passed since sexual minority Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey got married according to social tradition. Now they are struggling to get their marriage registered.

Statistics from Nepal's National Census-2078 showed that out of a population of nearly 30 million people, about 3,000 were transgender. In the government's efforts to include gender and sexual minorities, a total of 2,928 people spoke openly about their gender and sexual identity.

However, organizations and campaigners working for the community demanded a recalculation, saying that the number was too low.

Now the government is going to conduct a specialized survey to collect accurate data about them. According to Hemraj Regmi, Deputy Chief Statistician of the National Statistics Office, this survey is to be conducted to collect accurate information about the social and economic status along with the demographic details of the "hidden communities that are difficult to find".

"After the census data was published, we discussed the areas that could not be addressed with the gender and sexual minority communities, the Disabled Federation, etc. Then we felt it necessary to collect the relevant data again," Regmi told the BBC.

However, he says that currently available resources are sufficient to survey only gender and sexual minorities.

Survey with the help of whom?

This survey is going to be conducted with the financial cooperation of USAID, Asian Development Bank and Government of Nepal. Deputy Chief Regmi said the survey could help to reach the "reality" of gender and sexual minorities across the country.

“Being less visible in the census is a challenge. So our immediate objective is to get the real numbers or come close to reality. Again, if the concerned people are not open about it, there will be a problem,” he said.

He said that the survey will focus on finding out what are the characteristics of the community and what is the livelihood of the people concerned.

For that work, it is said that extensive discussions will be held with other organizations working for the gender and sexual minority communities including Neel Heera Samaj, Mitini Nepal, and other organizations that work for the gender and sexual minorities, and the necessary consent and support will be taken.

What happens in the survey?

During the 2078 census, it was discussed that 'other gender' was included during the listing of houses and households and data collection. However, in the main questionnaire, the gender description section contained only two answer options - female and male. There was no provision to disclose 'other' gender identity filled in the first round of enumeration.

The then Central Statistics Department (now the National Statistics Office) stated that it was difficult to change the format of the questionnaire and to republish the form, as well as lack of funds.

Regmi informed that the upcoming survey will include all those mentioned in the English term 'LGBTIQA Plus', which refers to the gender and sexual minority community.

“If you search in detail, you can find people who want to participate in the survey. Counting differently those with different identities. We have planned not to be limited to others," he explained.

When did it start?

According to the office, the preparation of the survey is in the initial stage. Regmi said that necessary discussions and negotiations are currently underway to prepare the questionnaire.

“Plans included in the budget for the new financial year. It is now intended to start in a few months. As it will be conducted nationwide, it will take about one to one and a half years to complete," he said.

He said that since this is a procedural issue, it would be useful for them to squeeze new studies and analyzes related to the community.

However, he insisted that the results of the survey will not be included in the census data. He says, "But since we are an official body on statistics, the number we publish will be official."

What effect will it have?

Human rights activists are of the opinion that this survey can be effective in an environment where no accurate statistics of gender and sexual minorities are available even though there is a census. According to them, if accurate data can be obtained from that, it will be the basis for demanding basic rights.

Some have opined that it may be difficult for community members to open up due to social, economic and psychological constraints.

“As the number of other genders was very low, we demanded a re-count or a survey. It is important to know what the community is like and where they are. Maybe the survey will help with that,” Pinki Sheetal Gurung, president of Neel Heera Samaj, told the BBC.

She thinks that this survey will help the gender and sexual minorities, especially those who are uneducated, remote, forced to live on self-reliance or socially marginalized, to open up.

“A lot of people in the community don't know that they have to stick to statistics. Therefore, only those who have been accepted by their families, who have been widely open about their sexual or gender identity should have spoken, so the statistics should have been very low," she said.

Gurung, who did not think that the information transmission part was strong during the census, said that this time, attention should be paid to that part. Similarly, he hopes that "the results will be good" as organizations working for the rights of gender and sexual minorities will participate in the survey.

What do other rights activists say?

Bimala Gurung, the program officer of Mitini Nepal, informed that the number of gender and sexual minorities in the country is around 9 to 10 million in the internal mapping done by them.

So only 0.01 percent of the country's total population said they had technical difficulties in identifying themselves as transgender.

“The number shown in the statistics is very low. Only those who took citizenship as the other gender probably listed themselves. Therefore, the survey to be conducted now should cover not only gender, but every sexual identity," said Bimala Gurung.

She said that the statistics office should also take care of "confidentiality" as it is difficult to open up due to social and family constraints.

Although gender identity is not discussed in the census, since the 2068 census, other genders have been included in the enumeration along with women and men.

The statistics office said that due to this, the previous number could not be published.