Gendered identities and digital inequalities: an exploration of the lived realities of the transgender community in the Indian digital welfare state

Q1 Social Sciences

Gender and Development Pub Date : 2022-09-02 DOI:10.1080/13552074.2022.2131250

Arushi Raj, Fatima Juned

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

ABSTRACT With rapid digitalisation and technological advancements, the emergence of digital welfare states worldwide has become a reality. Broadly, the term digital welfare state refers to the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and digital tools to transform public and welfare services, such as biometric identification systems and automated systems to verify the eligibility of citizens for welfare benefits. This increased use of technological innovations and digital tools in governance is presented as a citizen-centric move that would improve accessibility and availability, and increase efficiency. However, one of the major critiques of the digitalisation of welfare systems is that it excludes people from disadvantaged sections who lack access to digital infrastructure and digital literacy from actively participating in society. In the context of the emerging Indian digital welfare state, this paper focuses on a particular marginalised community, that is, the transgender community in India, to understand their lived experiences of interacting with public digital systems. Historically, the transgender community in India has been socioeconomically marginalised, making them important beneficiaries of public welfare services. The Indian government recently introduced a gender identification digital system for the transgender community, which would be used to procure official gender identity cards and dispense social benefits and subsidies to them. This paper analyses the inequalities and exclusions faced by the transgender community in India in participating in the digital welfare system and highlights its potential human rights and policy implications.

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性别认同和数字不平等:对印度数字福利国家中跨性别群体生活现实的探索

摘要随着数字化和技术的快速进步，全球范围内数字福利国家的出现已成为现实。广义上讲，数字福利国家一词是指采用信息和通信技术以及数字工具来改变公共和福利服务，如生物识别系统和自动化系统，以验证公民是否有资格享受福利。在治理中越来越多地使用技术创新和数字工具，这是一项以公民为中心的举措，将提高可访问性和可用性，并提高效率。然而，对福利系统数字化的主要批评之一是，它将缺乏数字基础设施和数字素养的弱势群体排除在积极参与社会之外。在新兴的印度数字福利国家的背景下，本文关注一个特定的边缘化社区，即印度的跨性别社区，以了解他们与公共数字系统互动的生活体验。从历史上看，印度的跨性别群体在社会经济上一直被边缘化，使他们成为公共福利服务的重要受益者。印度政府最近为跨性别群体推出了一个性别识别数字系统，该系统将用于购买官方性别身份证，并向他们发放社会福利和补贴。本文分析了印度跨性别群体在参与数字福利系统时面临的不平等和排斥，并强调了其潜在的人权和政策影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Gender and Development Social Sciences-Gender Studies

CiteScore

2.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Since 1993, Gender & Development has aimed to promote, inspire, and support development policy and practice, which furthers the goal of equality between women and men. This journal has a readership in over 90 countries and uses clear accessible language. Each issue of Gender & Development focuses on a topic of key interest to all involved in promoting gender equality through development. An up-to-the minute overview of the topic is followed by a range of articles from researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. Insights from development initiatives across the world are shared and analysed, and lessons identified. Innovative theoretical concepts are explored by key academic writers, and the uses of these concepts for policy and practice are explored.