NGOs to fight for Baina's sex workers
By Rupesh Samant
Panaji
14 January 2004
The commercial sex workers in Goa have finally got sympathisers
in the form of various non governmental organisations. Baina,
state's only red light area situated in the port town of Vasco,
will be kept under scanner by Forum for Justice in Baina,
an organisation comprising Goa's major NGOs.
The forum is formed with the aim to tackle the problems of
commercial sex workers, including rehabilitation and human
right violations as they feel that the government has not
defined its stand on the issue.
Goa's major NGOs - Arz, Childline, Jan Ugahi, Children's
Rights in Goa, Positive People, Desterro Eves - have resolved
to come together under a common umbrella and tackle issues
of commercial sex workers at Baina which were brought to light
by recent High Court order. The court had directed that the
cubicles used for sex trade be closed and rescued commercial
sex workers be deported to their native states.
NGOs' meeting lamented that the state is doing nothing to
rehabilitate the commercial sex workers and alleged that there
have been human rights violations by the state machinery.
They have also signed a letter addressed to Goa Govenor and
National human rights commission asking for urgent intervention
to stop activities of police officers at Baina beach red light
area.
The letter states that instead of protecting the rights of
the victims and the families, the state agency is found to
be involved in gross human rights violations such as cordoning
the area, video filming the area, causing near stop of livelihood
for women.
The letter also names a police inspector of local police station
for having instigated the brothel keepers and other residents
to lodge false complaint against Arz, an NGO.
Police indifference to the citizens is also highlighted in
the letter. According to them, while the police were stoping
the majority of the clients entering the red light area, those
who could bribe their way inside get in.
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