imported>Jose Corregidor at 10:03, 29 March 2021

2021-03-29T10:03:38Z

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{{Short description|Indian non-governmental organization supporting sex workers}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Sadhana Mahila Sangha
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| image = Sadhana Mahila Sangha, Karnataka (cropped).jpg
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| caption = receiving the Nari Shakti Puraskar
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| formation = {{start date and age|2011}}
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| location_city = Bangalore
| location_country = India
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| sec_gen = Geetha M.<ref name=law>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-15|title=Sex workers stare at bleak future|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-your-bond-with-bengaluru/sex-workers-stare-at-bleak-future-838075.html|access-date=2021-01-23|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>
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| awards = [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]]
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'''Sadhana Mahila Sangha''' is an [[NGO]] in [[Bangalore]] that supports [[sex worker]]s. During the [[Coronavirus disease 2019]] pandemic they had to feed sex workers who could no longer find clients.

==History==
The organisation was formed in 2011 and registered in 2013. Sex workers get harassed and mistreated by the police.<ref name=law/> <ref name=distance/> M.Geetha, the secretary of Sadhana Mahila Sangha, says there is a 2009 ruling by the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] that specifically makes this illegal. The organisation also helps workers who intend to change their work but workers face continued discrimination. Many of them have already lost their husbands and families and even in normal times they face psychological problems on top of risks like HIV.<ref name=law/> The NGO arranges [[HIV Testing|HIV testing]] for the sex workers every three months and then gives them counselling if they test positive. They advise them to use condoms and make sure they realise the moral issues of not doing so. Some use the positive test as an opportunity to leave sex work and others find themselves homeless after they were thrown out of their households. In both cases the NGO offers support to these women.<ref name=radio>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-13|title=Chigurida Badaku: Sadhana Mahila Sangha Works To Protect HIV+ Sex Workers From Endless Cycles of Harassment|url=https://radio-active.in/2019/03/13/chigurida-badaku-sadhana-mahila-sangha-works-to-protect-hiv-sex-workers-from-endless-cycles-of-harassment/|access-date=2021-01-23|website=Radio Active CR 90.4 MHz|language=en}}</ref>

==Coronavirus pandemic==
By March 2020 sex workers were reporting hardships.<ref name=distance/> Many of them live outside the city and they would travel in each morning to work. During the pandemic the buses were cancelled, the clients were afraid of catching the virus and the sex workers were short of food as they relied on their clients to buy them a meal. The organisation estimated that there were 1,000 sex workers in Bangalore.<ref name=distance/> Their incomes had fallen by about 55%.<ref name=distance/> If a sex worker can find two clients a day then they could eat two meals but too many customers are keeping their distance. Without cash they cannot pay for their rented houses in the suburbs and because they value their privacy they will find it tricky to explain to their landlords why they cannot pay the rent.<ref name=distance>{{Cite web|first=Y. Maheswara|last=Reddy|date=2020-03-24|title=Fear of coronavirus keeps clients away|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/fear-of-coronavirus-keeps-clients-away/articleshow/74783696.cms|access-date=2021-01-23|website=Bangalore Mirror|language=en}}</ref> Sadhana Mahila Sangha has been providing food for those who are unemployed. By May 2020 most had not worked in four weeks.<ref name=law/> One worker noted that with HIV they could use a condom but with COVID-19 they cannot wear a complete cover all outfit.<ref name=law/>

==Awards==
The whole organisation was honoured when it was awarded the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nari Shakti Awardees- Sadhana Mahila Sangha, Karnataka {{!}} Ministry of Women & Child Development|url=https://wcd.nic.in/nari-shakti-awardees-sadhana-mahila-sangha-karnataka|access-date=2021-01-23|website=wcd.nic.in}}</ref> for their work. The award was made in New Delhi and the group received a citation and one lakh of rupees. They received one of 31 awards that were made by President [[Pranab Mukherjee]] on [[International Women's Day]], 2017, at the Presidential palace ([[Rashtrapati Bhavan]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Prez honours 31 with Nari Shakti Puraskar on Women’s Day|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/prez-honours-31-with-nari-shakti-puraskar-on-womens-day-374536|access-date=2021-01-23|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Nari Shakti Puraskar}}

[[Category:Organisations based in Bangalore]]
[[Category:Nari Shakti Puraskar winners]]
[[Category:2011 establishments in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2011]]
[[Category:Non-governmental organizations]]

Sadhana Mahila Sangha - Revision history

imported>Jose Corregidor at 10:03, 29 March 2021