CNBC-TV18.com
By Vivek Dubey
Published Nov 13, 2024
Chanu Nimesha, Sri Lanka’s first openly transgender candidate in parliamentary elections, is vying to make a landmark change toward inclusivity and tolerance in the country.
Transgender people make up roughly 1% of Sri Lanka’s population, facing discrimination and limited legal rights. Nimesha’s run highlights the lack of political representation.
Running in Kegalle, 80km east of Colombo, Nimesha emphasises her mission of social justice. She feels encouraged by positive responses to her candidacy from locals.
Winning or losing isn’t her focus; Nimesha wants to show Sri Lanka’s transgender community that they belong in politics and can contribute to society as a whole.
At age 49, Nimesha runs with the Socialist Party, joining 8,000 candidates in an election spurred by September’s Marxist presidential win by Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Sri Lanka’s severe economic crisis in 2022, triggered by high debt and lost tourism revenue, led to hardship. This election follows a recent, tentative recovery.
In 2022, Nimesha protested with thousands against the former president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, contributing to the movement that led to his resignation and exile.
The $2.9 billion IMF bailout in 2022 has aided recovery, yet one-fourth of Sri Lankans remain in poverty, showcasing ongoing challenges Nimesha hopes to address.
Nimesha funds her campaign by working as a quantity surveyor while also being a writer, musician, and actor, with her first book expected to be published soon.
Born in Galle, she lost her father in a 1989 political insurgency. Estranged from her conservative family, she now finds support in her community and her beliefs.
With a passion for inclusivity, Nimesha hopes to inspire Sri Lankans to see each other’s humanity, laying the groundwork for a society that embraces all members.