Kathmandu, August 3:

Mitini Nepal (MN), a sister organisation of the Blue Diamond Society which has been working with the lesbians, said today that over 1,200 lesbians have come into contact with the organisation since its inception in 2005.

At its first conference today, the MN said these lesbians are aged between 15 and 64 years and come from different walks of life.

Some are in the government service and private organisations, while many are jobless.

The MN claimed that the exact number of lesbians is much higher, adding that many of them hide their sexuality because the society discriminates against them.

Mina Nepali, president of the MN, said society victimises lesbians. The lesbians are treated as third-grade citizens, Nepali said.

Their families dissociate with them or compel them to get married to men, Nepali said.

The lesbians have been deprived of citizenship and jobs, Nepali said.

It is difficult for homosexuals to acquire citizenship certificates. Bhumika Shrestha, a transgender, said, “Despite being a man, I feel like a woman and dress accordingly, but my citizenship certificate recognises me as a man and everyone thinks my citizenship is fake. My citizenship certificate has been a trouble-maker for me.” Sunil Panta, director, Blue Diamond Society, urged the government to provide citizenship certificates to homosexuals by recognising their identity.