The exclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community from the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (NMICS) has left out crucial information on child protection, literacy and HIV and AIDS of the minority group.

The Central Bureau of Statistics, which had included the third gender for the first time in the 2014 census,

failed to incorporate the minority community in the second biggest survey after census. This has irked the LGBTI community.

“Education and HIV and AIDs are big issues in our community. It’s sad that a nationwide survey conducted by the government has failed to incorporate us especially on issues that are crucial,” said Manisha Dhakal, executive director of the Blue Diamond Society.

The NMICS 2014, conducted in all the 75 districts for the first time, provided crucial data on child mortality, nutrition, child health, water and sanitation, reproductive health, early childhood development, education and literacy, child protection, HIV and AIDS, access to mass media and use of information technology and tobacco and alcohol use. CBS Director General Suman Raj Aryal said the third gender would be incorporated in the NMICS in future.