Illegal Proffession But Available Life Insurance

While prostitution is illegal in Indian, prostitutes can get life insurance. The Life insurance corporation of India offers sex workers a policy where they can get a routine medical check-up for HIV. Since there are so many sex workers in India these small life insurance policies have become very valuable.

Sex Workers Want Government to Acknowledge Profession

It's election time in India now and sex workers are asking politicians to recognize their profession and give them equal rights under the laws. While I can not imagine prostitutes in America demanding the government for egual rights, the situation in India is much different. Prostitution is big business over there with about 70,000 sex workers who take up the family business each year. This is not something hidden under the rug like it often is in America. So, sex workers are demanding that their profession by accepted by society and that their family members will not be oppressed because of their trade. Sex workers have major voting power. In fact if you count the sex worker and their family members that equals approximately 2,80,000votes. As a result, the main group, Urbar Mahila Samanya Committee, which is lobbying politicans right now is very hopefully. To read the article in it's entirety you can click on the link.

Gates Foundation Spreads Aids Awareness

Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, and his wife Melinda spread Aids Awareness in the red-light districts of India by donating money through their Gates Foundation. The have been doing so since the late 1990's. The Gates took a visit to Indian to meet the sex workers first-hand.

International Sex Workers Rights Day

The third of March was International Sex Workers Rights Day. The day started in 2001 when over 25,000 sex workers in India gathered for a sex workers festival.

Hope in Calcutta

Sarah Lance
Pic from Lusanne World Pulse


I came across a article today written by a freelance writer named, Sarah Lance. The article entitled Restoring Life in the Red Light Districts of Kolkata, India gave me hope. It followed one sixteen year old girl named Pinky who seals her body to make a living and it talked about the extent of poverty in Calcutta. Then it gave some good information about an organization that is helping women improve there living conditions. The organization, World Made Flesh, is a community of developers and connectors that teach the women about God. The women get to have tea and talk about their fustrations with a counselor. There is also an opportunity to learn English. Sarah Lance is a the field director for World Made Flesh. She lives and works with the women trapped in prostitution and she has dedicated her life to dimming the red lights.

Born Into Brothels Producers

Born into Brothels was produced in 2004 by then couple Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman. They wanted to raise awareness about the Red Light industry in Calcutta, India, while also helping the children learn photography and hopefully make their way out of the brothels. The film won the 77th Academy Award for best documentary feature. For more information on the film or to make a donation to the cause visit the official website, http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/bornintobrothels/!