VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND INCLUSIVE SKILL-BASED EDUCATION FOR EUNUCH COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH ASIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF BARRIERS, INTERVENTIONS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC INTEGRATION PATHWAYS

Abstract

Eunuch communities (also called Hijras in South Asia) are one of the most discriminated groups, systematically excluded from education and job opportunities. This is a systematic survey of the vocational training, skills, and inclusiveness community-based programs aimed at enabling the eunuchs to leave their traditional career (dancing, begging, sex work) and move to business services and sustainable jobs. This review will determine the major obstacles to educational inclusion, the successful models of intervention, the policy frameworks, and the community involvement strategies through the analysis of the empirical literature published between 2014 and 2025. We searched several databases and filtered through 847 studies, and finally selected 35 articles that dealt directly with the topic of eunuch/transgender vocational rehabilitation and inclusive education. The results have indicated that there is legislative protection in India, Pakistan, and Nepal, but there is still a gap in implementation because of the lack of proper funding, teacher training, institutional discrimination, and non-inclusive infrastructure. Effective interventions portray the relevance of the enforcement of policies, effective collaboration between the government and NGOs, pedagogical practices that are culturally sensitive, and community-based skill development initiatives. This review has identified the transformational nature of inclusive education in facilitating economic empowerment and also overcoming a system of barriers that are systemic and continue to perpetuate marginalization in occupations. Policy reforms, institutional capacity building, and multi-stakeholder collaboration frameworks that are necessary in ensuring sustainable integration of eunuch communities into formal education and employment sectors are also provided in recommendations.