NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Principal Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare department and the DGP of West Bengal to address the human rights of the sex workers in Sonagachhi, the largest red light area in Asia.
The NHRC passed the order after considering the petition, reply of the State and rejoinder filed by Supreme Court advocate and noted human rights activist, Radhakanta Tripathy.
The petition filed in November 2018, highlighted the plight of the sex workers in Sonagachhi initially.
Tripathy drew attention of the NHRC to the plight of sex workers across the country. NHRC also issued advisories in this regard.
According to a series of directions the State of West Bengal recently submitted the survey work of Sonagachi area on the condition of sex workers of Sonagachi from rehabilitation, social, legal and health point of view.
The women's Studies Research Centre, University of Calcutta, has completed the survey work after conducting a Social and Medico Legal Study with aim at understanding and identifying their basic needs of the sex workers of the area, he said.
The report of the University of Calcutta, reveals that out of the 500 samples, about 70% of the sex Workers are residents of Kolkata & surroundings, North-24 Parganas & South-24 Parganas districts. Out of these 500, 60 workers were trafficked, 16 were brought on false promise for job, and 325 were working due to their poverty.
Only, 29 are working on their own willingness, while 101 have shown an unwillingness to join the Sex Work. Most of them are earning merely 10-20 thousand per month, and have no property etc, Tripathy pointed out.
Tripathy, who has been ensuing justice to red light areas like GB Road, Delhi and Mali Sahi, Bhubaneswar elaborated the precarious, inhuman condition of the sex workers, their families and sought for a permanent solution of the human rights issues in Sonagachhi.
The NHRC directed the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, and the Principal Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare department to submit a status report on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Calcutta University and steps taken by the Government of West Bengal to curb the poverty and generate employment for women, especially in Kolkata and surroundings especially North-24 Parganas & South-24 Parganas districts.
The NHRC also directed the DGP, West Bengal to inform the Commission the steps taken by the Police to prevent the trafficking of women, as well as to identify the already trafficked women by utilizing the intelligence resources etc. and their rescue, who are engaged for sex work at Sonagachi.
The West Bengal government requested the Commission, a six months time for implementation of recommendations. Accepting the request of the Government, the NHRC granted six weeks to do the needful.