BHUBANESWAR: At least 60 commercial sex workers of Mali Sahi were issued identity cards by a voluntary organisation here on Sunday. The cards would come handy to the sex workers during health camps.
Odisha Patita Udhar Samiti (OPUS), which works for this category of the society, handed over the cards at a function attended by Bhubaneswar Mayor Anant Narayan Jena and member of Odisha State Commission for Women Snigdha Panigrahy.
The sex workers used to face numerous difficulties during crackdown by enforcement agencies because they did not have any identification to offer.
This process is expected to lessen their burden because the agencies, such as police, will be able to contact OPUS so that legal support can be arranged for the workers.
“Besides, during health camps, these women need not openly declare who they are as it leads to stigma-related issues,” secretary of OPUS Abharani Choudhury said.
Plans are also afoot to issue such cards to 300 commercial sex workers across the City.
The voluntary organisation has decided to take up the issue of rehabilitation of commercial sex workers by the State Government as per the direction of the Orissa High Court. If no step is taken, the matter will be placed before the HC, she added.