Background

Transgender encounter unique biological, social, cultural, legal and economic issues, which put them marginalised legally and economically. The last decades, Indonesia has targeted transgender and other key affected population with intensive HIV prevention, however, the problem in transgender is more complex than other key affected population. Stigma and discrimination limit their access to get access to education and confine their job options scale to finally selling sex, trapped at debt cycle with limited choices to find alternative works. Moreover, low bargaining position among transgender in practicing safe sex influence them into vulnerable group on HIV transmission.

ILO study on stigma and discrimination under the PRIDE project shows only 10 percent of transgender persons work in the formal economy (majority as hairdresser) but most probably in an informal job, 40 percent as sex workers and the rest of the group, 50 percent, work as street performers. Many transgender persons aspire to be entrepreneurs partly because of limited opportunities in formal employment. Some transgender persons groups already have economic activities (as a cooperative) but they face problems in management and sustainability of the business.

To promote entrepreneurship and business developments for transgender people, as part of the ILO’s effort to promote equal employment opportunity and equal access to entrepreneurship and business development, the ILO has developed a video documentary featuring three transgender entrepreneurs who had participated in the ILO trainings on financial management and business development and who are now starting and developing their businesses.

In the same time, to ensure the sustainability of the developed businesses, the ILO has provided a business coaching session in collaboration with a professional business coach from the Action Coach. A series of business coaching sessions have been conducted to strengthen and improve business management and business sustainability developed by transgender persons.

Objective

• To raise the awareness about equal employment opportunity and better access to entrepreneurship development for transgender persons.
• To inspire and to improve entrepreneurship spirit of transgender persons so that entrepreneurship and business development can be used as the source of living and income for transgender persons.
• To assists transgender persons in sustaining and expanding their businesses.