Right to Education of Muslim Transgender: A Case Study of Pesantren Waria Senin-Kamis, Indonesia

Ph.D. – Small Grant (1 Year)University Affiliation: Thammasat University, ThailandResearch objectives:

1. To understand the Islamic jurisprudence on the right to education of transgender.
2. To unveil the compatibilities of ASEAN Human Rights mechanism in promoting right to education of transgender.

Significance of research

1. Theoretical Contribution: The issue of the right to education of Muslim transgender has been causing irreconcilable differences between Islamic jurisprudence and international human rights theories. Thus, the reconciliatory approach of some Southeast Asian Islamic thinkers is potential to initiate a dialogue between these two. The research would provide such explanatory analysis favoring such dialogue.
2. Promoting Inclusive Interpretation: This is also a very significant issue that requires inclusive explanation of Muslim jurisprudence, which seems important for addressing some of the backlash within the Muslim society. The narrative about the right to education of the transgender population obviously provides an added weight to the trend of inclusive interoperation of Islamic jurisprudence. This is again vital for ensuring coexistence of population in a multi-religo-cultural setting, more of which to assist the harmonising of ASEAN community.
3. Advocacy tool for NGO: In addition to that, the human rights activists and Muslim NGOs requires tools to do advocacy for the rights of the transgender. The analysis on the right of the transgender shall serve the important source of advocacy and in a way strengthen the human rights initiative for transgender in Southeast Asia.
4. Evidence Based Literature for Governments: The governments in ASEAN countries, especially that of the Muslim majority countries, are also needed to be sensitised on the rights of the Muslim transgender. However, lack of evidence-based literature on the right to education of the transgender is causing serious concern. The research outcome is potential to be used to conduct advocacy with the government.
5. ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism: Given the formation of ASEAN and adoption of ASEAN Human Rights Declaration- a uniform approach on dividing human rights issues is vital. Since the considerable Muslim population of ASEAN holds similar onus an objective analysis on the right to education of Muslim transgender can only be expected to provide both academic as well as religo-philosophical policy direction.
6. Promotion of Perception: Finally, Pesantren Waria Senin-Kamis’s principles and functional approaches are potential to change the perception of the religious leadership regarding the right to education of Muslim transgender, where this research could be an additional assistance.

Personal Bio:Dr. Rahman is a human rights lawyer and lecturer in SGS in Thammasat University, Thailand. Born in Bangladesh, he has begun professional career by community service. Since 1999 he has been working on human rights and development in several Asia countries. Ford Foundation, Odhikar, Care Society, Action Aid, Forum Asia, Human Security Alliance, NDI, CIDA and ANFREL are some the organizations he worked with. His area of expertise comprises human rights, democratization, conflict transformation, emergency management, human security, and governance. As an academician he has been teaching and conducting research in various Universities in Thailand, Bangladesh, Korea and Japan.