Bihar sex worker's daughter fights for dignity

Muzaffarpur: Nashima, the daughter of a sex worker from Bihar, is fighting for her dignity and identity.

In 2002 a police raid in Chattarbhujsthan, the red light area of Bihar's Muzaffarpur town became her wake up call.

The 17-year-old Nashima saw how the police arrested and harassed not just the sex workers but even their children were also not spared.

Nashima, daughter of a sex worker herself, decided to fight back.

Now 25 girls, all daughters of sex workers, have joined Nashima and they have formed an organisation called Parcham.

We talk about the right way. We want our dignity restored. This is our aim," says Nashima.

Her battle was never easy as she moved alley to alley, door to door and convinced every family in the area against forcing their children into the profession.

For those who are already in the profession like Neelam Kumari, Nashima's demand is for a performance license that would safeguard them from the police and pimp nexus.

One of Nashima's biggest challenge has been to usher in a secure future for retired sex workers like Sita Dadi.

"After spending my life here, I can only work as a maid servant," says Sita.

Now thanks to Nashima, Sita Sadi and others like her are now a part of a project called Ujala where retired sex workers are rehabilitated.

From computer training to undergraduate classes the Parcham now has a presence in 25 districts ofBihar.

Nashima and her gang of girls also reach out to the outside world through Jugnu, India's only magazine completely handwritten by those living in the red light areas.

Its editor, 18-year-old Nikhat is also a daughter of a sex worker.

India, Bihar: Gram Gaurav Yatra launched to Promote Sanitation

Campaign launch by CM. Photo: WaterAid India

In order to sensitise people towards health and hygiene, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED),Government of Bihar, WaterAid andUNICEF have taken up a month long Gram Gaurav Yatra to promote sanitation in Bihar. PHED Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey announced the launch of Bihar Gram Gaurav Rath Yatra on January 28, 2009, that embarked on a Movement towards restoring human dignity and the self-esteem of rural Indians.

The yatra was flagged off by State Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on January 28, 2009, from Rajgir in Nalanda district. During the rath yatra, which would continue till February 28 departmental secretaries and officers would travel to different places in the state to sensitise people. WaterAid India as a lead organization in this initative has developed IEC materials for raising awareness which where launched during the inauguration of the campaign. His Excellency, Governor of Bihar shall inaugurate the second phase of Yatra on 1st February and Hon’ble Union Minister for Rural Development Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh will join the yatra on the 11th at Vaishali.

Handwashing song launch-by WaterAid. Photo: WaterAid India

At the event a new scheme “Jal Mani” was launched that will provide drinking water to schools. Filters are being provided that are capable of removing not only bacteriological contamination but also chemical contamination like fluoride and arsenic.

Bihar has to install around 1.12 crore [11.2 million] household toilets to achieve the targets set for universal coverage by 2012. So far only 20 lakh [2 million] toilets have been installed.

At the launch of the event Mr Choubey (Minister PHED) said one crore 13 lakh [11.3 million] toilets would be constructed till 2012 all over the State for the making of Nirmal (clean) Bihar.

Mr. Anand Shekhar the Regional Manager of WaterAid India said that the yatra is a giant leap towards mobilizing communities for collective action so that a seemingly distant dream of making Bihar open defecation free is achieved.

On 29 January “shram daan” (Voluntary work) was planned, during which the Minister and the team would be accompanied by a team of masons and animators, with materials to construct toilets. The idea is to motivate large number of people to adopt toilets.

Source: Binu Nair, Programme Officer, Research & Media Relation, WaterAid India, 31 Jan 2009, BinuNair [at] wateraid.org