‘Sanghati’ demands recognition of sex work to protect rights

Sanghati, a platform advocating for sex workers' human rights, has reiterated the need for recognising sex work as legitimate labour, following recent recommendations by the Women's Affairs Reform Commission.

According to a press statement, signed by Mahbuba Mahmud Leena, chairperson of Sanghati, the commission's proposal to officially acknowledge sex work has triggered widespread debate. Critics have raised concerns about morality and the potential social impact of such recognition.

Sanghati, a collective of 86 rights organisations which has worked on sex workers' rights since 1999, said their long-standing involvement with the community made the need for such recognition evident.

The organisation has engaged in multi-level discussions on this issue, it said, which yielded various insights about how sex work becomes a source of income for women, and how many are deceived into entering this profession. The statement also shed light on the legal grey area in which the profession exists, allowing brokers and various interest groups to continue to exploit it.

"Recognising it [sex work] as a legal occupation is a responsibility of the state," said the statement.

"The current structure within the profession is exploitative and cruel. Recognition would allow this structure to be improved. Those sex workers who wish to transition to other professions should be trained and supported in doing so. A sex worker sells her labour like any other worker. Therefore, she has the right to security, economic independence, education for her children, and access to healthcare as a citizen. Recognising her labour is essential."

Sanghati further said that if a person is made a criminal, it forces them underground, adding that if their [sex workers'] work is recognised, then they will be protected from miscreants.

Those who want to leave sex work will have opportunities for other livelihoods expand for them, it said.