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The gender pride march held in Madurai for the first time may have been relatively smaller compared to similar marches in metros across the country, but it has made heads turn. The organizers of the march are happy that the march was a success as it helped create awareness about LGBT rights and sensibilities.

In China, all potential blood donors have to fill in health declaration forms in which they are supposed to reveal their sexual orientation. Acknowledging that lesbians are low-risk donors, the Ministry of Health revised the regulation introduced in 2001 that prohibited all homosexuals from giving blood. However, the regulation still prohibits gay men from donating blood, along with drug addicts and people with multiple sexual partners.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community that gathered in Madurai for the city`s first Turing Rainbow festival expressed the need to increase their support base by roping in civil societies and other organisations. The event was organised by Srishti, a literary and resource circle for alternative genders and sexualities here on July 28, 2012.

The dialogue on ‘Saving mothers in communities’ organised by Mercy Corps and Khwendo Kor was chaired by EDO (health) Dr Abdur Rahid Khattak at a local hotel.The speakers said annual maternal mortality rate in Pakistan was 276 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. They said a vast majority of maternal deaths (27.2 per cent) was caused by postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and that skilled birth attendance was critical for reducing maternal mortality and mortality including that associated with PPH.

The Supreme Court on July 26, 2012 made it clear that its mandate to the Central and state governments on drafting schemes for the welfare and rehabilitation of sex workers should not be construed as ‘encouraging prostitution’. The court accepted the Centre’s application to modify its order so as to allay the fear that its directive could give an impression of validating prostitution as a legally recognised profession. The Bench said the directive on making conditions conducive for them to live with dignity shall stand as it is.