Dharnaof sex workers in Surat is a great concern

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

It is with great concern that I write about the sex workers plight in

Surat.These women have been on an indefinite " Dharna " outside the collector's

office since the last 13 days and not much has happened since. They have been

driven out of their homes and have been undergoing police harrassment for

months.

There is a court directive to the government to rehabilitate these women as soon

as possible but as we all know,realisation of these plans into action takes

time!

In the mean time the women sit in the " dharna " during the day and at night,try

and go back to the only familiar area that they know-their neighbourhood,where

they look for a place to sleep with their children.They find " safe "

nooks,corners and porches to curl up and sleep.But even there, they are not

safe-a few of them were beaten up by the police the night before.Besides being

hungry,not able to look after their children properly,these women need security

and shelter immediately.Health is probably last in their minds right now and we

all know what that can lead to.

Surat takes pride in having dealt with diseases in the past like the plague etc.

efficiently but I am afraid ,this time it may be too late to control HIV

transmission if immediate attention is not given to providing houses to the sex

workers.

Some of us NGOS and citizens have formed a group to raise public opinion in

support of the sexworkers plight through a signature campaign,media,meetings

with the local officials etc.

We urge that action be taken from the highest quarters to rehabilitate the sex

workers at the earliest.

Dr Vibha Marfatia

Director

SAHAS

E-mail:<marfatiav@...>