NEW DELHI: Over 65 per cent of women, who were engaged in sex work and entertainment industry before the pandemic, would want to return to their professions in the absence of any livelihood opportunities, according to a survey by National Alliance Group for Denotified, Semi-Nomadic and Nomadic tribes and PRAXIS. Stigma and marginalisation in society in seeking any other job opportunities also remained another driving factor behind this decision, the survey showed.
The survey sample size was 224 women who belonged to the communities of Nat, Banchada, Kanjar and Bedia.
They belonged to the age group of between 18 to above 55 years. Their occupations based on their caste identities also meant they refrained from accessing government rations in a number of cases, said the survey.
A higher percentage of those who wanted to opt out of sex work and the entertainment industry belonged to the age group of 36-55 years.
The survey was conducted among respondents hailing from seven districts of the three states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan between June 1 - June 15.
Literacy level among the interviewees belonging to the denotified and nomadic tribes remained low with
30 per cent of the respondents never having attended school, 33 per cent dropping out before or in class 5, while 35 per cent had dropped out between classes 6-10. None had pursued higher education in the survey. Caste and gender identities played a role in children facing discrimination and dropping out of schools.
Women from these communities expressed uncertainty about their future with the traditional livelihood options coming to a stall amid the pandemic and how their income opportunities will pan out in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Several women engaged in farming, animal husbandry, making liquor, running a shop, tailoring, and small-scale businesses based out of home during the pandemic, said the survey.