Nisha Rao
Born
Lahore, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
EducationLaw, LL.B
Alma materUniversity of Karachi
Occupation(s)Advocate, Lawyer
Websitehttps://www.nisharao.com

Nisha Rao is a Pakistani transgender lawyer, advocate and activist.[1] In 2020, she became the first transgender law graduate in Pakistan.[2][3]

Personal life

Rao was born in a middle-class family from Lahore, in the Punjab region, and had seven siblings. During her early years, she was enrolled at a private English medium school in Lahore. At age 14, Nisha realized she was different.[4][5] She was never beaten by her parents for her feminine habits but she chose to leave her house after completing matric.[6][7] She moved to Karachi for a fresh start.[8][9]

In Karachi, she began living with a transgender community in the Hijrat colony.[10][11] Rao begged on the streets for a time to fund her expenditures.[12][13] Throughout this time Rao told her family she was being financed independently for school in Karachi but was begging in the streets. She would beg from 8am to 3pm and take law classes from 4 to 9 pm.[14][15][16][17] She earned her bachelor's degree at Karachi University.

Education

Rao is one of the few transgender people in Pakistan who chose to pursue higher education. After completing college, she enrolled in a BA program at Karachi University to specialize in International Relations.[18][19] During this time, she befriended an advocate named 'Mudassir Iqbal', who, according to Rao, supported her in pursuing higher education.[20][21] Nisha then decided to pursue higher studies and was admitted to Sindh Muslim Law College in 2015.[22] The college's former principal, Mustafa Ali Mahesar, supported Nisha in her studies and also gave her private coaching in International Law. Rao graduated in 2018.[9][23]

Career

Rao began her law career by participating in various advocacy events.[24] She later associated herself with various Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a volunteer and a legal adviser.[25][26] She joined the Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA), which works for the rights of the transgender community.[27][28] She moved to Islamabad after she was appointed as treasurer, but she soon had to leave her job due to financial hurdles.[4][10]

Nisha also tutored many children in her area to supplement her income.[29][30]

As a lawyer, Nisha has dealt with over 50 cases regarding the transgender community.[6][31]

Future plans

Nisha plans to help the transgender community through her NGO.[32][33] She wants to set up a helpline where transgender people can be guided by other community members. She also has plans to build a transgender old age home in the near future.[34][35]

References

  1. ↑ "With their members on ground, transgender community looks forward to inclusive elections". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  2. ↑ "Transgender community fears complete lockdown will add more miseries to life". The Express Tribune. 2020-03-22. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  3. ↑ "Meet : Nisha Rao Pakistan's first transgender lawyer | Maaya Kahani". Newsone. 2020-11-08. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  4. 1 2 "They tried degrading her until they couldn't help respecting her". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  5. ↑ "interview of Nisha Rao". RadioPakistan.
  6. 1 2 "From streets to courts, Pakistan's first transgender lawyer Nisha Rao". MM News TV. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  7. ↑ "Bringing the unheard voices and unwritten stories to the fore". UNDP. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  8. ↑ "Nisha Rao: Meet Pakistan's first transgender lawyer". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  9. 1 2 "He came to Karachi to find himself. Now, she wants to be a judge". The Express Tribune. 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  10. 1 2 "Nisha Rao – Pakistan First Talented Hardworking Transgender". Young Stars of Pakistan. 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  11. ↑ "transgender lawyer Nisha Rao Archives". Pakaffairs.pk. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  12. ↑ Zehra, Mehak (23 October 2020). "Pakistan's First Transgender Lawyer Is Fighting Against All Odds". Brandsynario. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  13. ↑ "Meet : Nisha Rao Pakistan's first transgender lawyer | Maaya Kahani". Head Topics (in Urdu). 8 November 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  14. ↑ Zehra, Sana (2020-10-23). "Nisha Rao becomes the first transgender lawyer of Pakistan". Newsburry. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  15. ↑ "Nisha Rao". Pakpedia | Pakistan's Biggest Online Encyclopedia. 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  16. ↑ "A candid conversation with Nisha Rao". Voicepk.net. 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  17. ↑ "Nisha Rao: First Transgender Lawyer In Pakistan". GrowPakistani. 2020-10-24. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  18. ↑ "'From street begging to court': Meet Nisha Rao, Pakistan's first transgender lawyer". SBS Your Language. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  19. ↑ "Nisha's story". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  20. ↑ "Interview with Nisha Rao : Pakistan's First Transgender Lawyer". Rava. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  21. ↑ "Here's Inspiring Story of Pakistan's 1st Transgender Lawyer Nisha Rao". Medium. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  22. ↑ "Nisha Rao". www.samaa.tv. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  23. ↑ Khan, Zara (2020-10-23). "Nisha Rao becomes the first transgender lawyer of Pakistan". Mashable Pakistan. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  24. ↑ "LAS Newsletter" (PDF).
  25. ↑ "Nisha Rao: Pakistan's First Transgender Lawyer Now Fights For Her Community". Bolojawan.com. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  26. ↑ "Nisha Rao Archives". Inflics. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  27. ↑ "Quiz of the Day | Women in Elections". WIE. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  28. ↑ "Targeted for 'begging', transgender community begs to be left alone". LEAP Pakistan. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  29. ↑ "Society's support for women emancipation must, says speakers". The Nation. 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  30. ↑ "Pakistan's transgender persons struggle with pandemic and poverty". international.la-croix.com. 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  31. ↑ "1st transgender lawyer Nisha Rao". 24 October 2020.
  32. ↑ "In the subcontinent, the 'third gender' struggles to exist". Ittehad اتحاد गठबंधन. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  33. ↑ "Meet Nisha Rao | Pakistan's First-Ever Transgender Lawyer". ViralBreak. 2020-11-07. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  34. ↑ Batool, Zehra (2020-10-21). "Meet Nisha Rao - Pakistan's First-Ever Transgender Lawyer Who Fights Against All Odds". Parhlo. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  35. ↑ "Meet Pakistan's First Trans-woman Lawyer!". The Meraki. 2020-10-24. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
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