Sex workers in India are always looked at through a highly orthodox and discriminatory lens as they are considered ‘immoral’, ‘impure’, and of a ‘loose character’. Since these women are viewed as less-than-human, they exist on the fringes and are often ignored by society in general. Consequently, the rights of sex workers in the country are also a grey area and a subject of contention. While most of the society tries to brush the topic under the rug, there are those who work to actively seek help for sex workers and improve their living conditions. Here are 4 such NGOs working to protect the rights of sex workers:
Goranbose Gram Bikash Kendra (GGBK)
GGBK was started as an organization to help the communities in the Sunderbans recuperate after a 1985 cyclone. In the midst of providing relief and rebuilding the communities, Nihar Raptan, the founder of GGBK, realized that some families were trading their female children for money. It soon spiraled into a human trafficking crisis at the district level. Mr. Nihar has since worked to prevent human trafficking and rescue and rehabilitate the survivors, many of whom are minors. His daughter Subhashree also joined the NGO to help with the legal assistance for the survivors and spread awareness on the issue.
Chaithanya Mahila Mandali (CMM)
Founded in 2001 by Jayamma, a sex-trafficking survivor, the Chaithanya Mahila Mandali is a non-profit organization that rehabilitates abandoned, girls and human trafficking survivors. The organization’s work has directly helped more than 25000 families in FY 20–21 alone. CMM programs create awareness on such topics as reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, major diseases, healthy living, education, and human rights of sex workers in India. The shelter currently has more than 40 girls who are well-fed and receiving the best possible education along with the rest of their needs being taken care of by generous support from donors.
The Aarju Foundation (AF)
The Aarju Foundation is a non-profit based in Mumbai that works to improve the living conditions of marginalized communities such as transgenders and sex workers. They have programs that educate people on human trafficking, sexual abuse, healthcare, diseases, and drug addiction. The organization is supported by a network of dedicated social workers and community activists who have a long-term goal of implementing programs that address the problems of marginalized groups through active community participation.
Kat-Katha
Kat-Katha is a ray of hope for the enslaved sex workers in Delhi’s largest red-light district. The organization provides sex workers with basic education and job-related training to develop skills that will help them build a better life and become part of mainstream society. The sisterhood of Kat-Katha has slowly transformed the brothels in Delhi’s GB Road into classrooms for the sex workers and their children. The organization fights for the legal rights of sex workers in India and aims to end forced sex work. In that regard, they provide education on human rights of sex workers and even financial and legal assistance to the hundreds of women trapped in the trade.
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