Respect gay rights, legalise prostitution: NHRC

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Respect gay rights, legalise prostitution: NHRC

Differing from the government's view, the NHRC not only supports gay

rights but is also in favour of legalising prostitution

Published on 10/6/2008 4:22:55 PM

By Azera Rahman

New Delhi: Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss may not have found

support in the government for decriminalising homosexuality, but

India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chief S Rajendra Babu

is on his side.

He says the NHRC not only supports gay rights but is also in favour of

legalising prostitution.

" If two adults want to be together, then why should anyone have a

problem? The commission, in this regard, has a broad outlook, " Former

Chief Justice of India Babu said.

" The commission inquires into violations of human rights. The right to

liberty of expression is one of them, " Babu said while charting out

the various responsibilities of the commission.

The government told the Delhi High Court last week that gay sex was

against the order of nature, and that Western values could not be

blindly aped in India.

" We cannot compel our society to follow the trend of Western society, "

Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra told the court while

countering the submission of the gay activists' counsel who cited laws

in various countries including Canada, South Africa and Cyprus.

The counsel was making a plea to decriminalise gay sex in private

among consenting adults.

The Indian Penal Code terms homosexual acts an offence under Section

377, which provides for punishment up to life imprisonment. Ramadoss

is facing stiff resistance from the home ministry for his efforts to

do away with Section 377.

Coming out in strong support of legalising prostitution, Babu said

such an initiative will protect women instead of exploiting them.

Sex workers should be given licences to practise their trade because

with that, they will also get a health licence and other benefits

which will protect and benefit them, he added.

The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act has failed to abolish

prostitution and, more often than not, makes the victim look like the

accused, Babu said.

Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhry had on an

earlier occasion said that India will not consider legalising

commercial sex or giving licences to brothels.

However, civil society groups like the Bhartiya Patita Uddhar Sabha

have been demanding the legalisation of commercial sex workers since

1984, saying that will ensure better health and education to the 5.4

million children of sex workers.

Bhartiya Patita Uddhar Sabha President Khairati Lal Bhola, while

pressing for legalisation of prostitution, said, " Not only will the

government earn a tax on their income, it will help in chucking out

agents, middlemen, goons and corrupt police officials who take hafta

(protection money) from them. "

" Sex workers can earn more to provide education to their children, who

can be prevented from inheriting their mother's profession, " Bhola added.

The Sabha President said that a survey conducted during 1990-96

revealed that there were more than 7.5 million call girls, 2.38

million prostitutes, 1,100 red light areas and three lakh brothels

across the country.

Now, more than a decade later, the number has gone up manifold and the

condition of sex workers is still vulnerable, especially due to the

threat of diseases like AIDS.

http://www.igovernment.in/site/Respect-gay-rights-legalise-prostitution-NHRC/