Sex Workers In Nagpur To Now Get UG Degree By IGNOU

Sex workers in India, is a bitter reality which walks parallel with our lives. The shoddier circumstances they survive are not unknown to anyone but we see only few working for their improvement. But it seems that the government now is all set to improve the conditions of ‘Sex Workers’.

IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) is planning to offer undergraduate (UG) degree programmes to Sex workers in the city of Nagpur. IGNOU already offers similar programmes in Ahmedabad and Kolkata. Though, this plan is just for few cities but still it will bring some light in the dark alleys of our country.

Officials from IGNOU’s regional centre at Nagpur are already in talks with Indian Red Cross Society's office which is located in the city’s red light area, Ganga-Jamuna. The Indian Red Cross Society has granted permission to the Open University to conduct classes for the commercial sex workers (CSWs) at its premises.

The regional centre is also trying to contact NGOs to seek help with the task of reaching out to young girls and women and thereafter convincing them to take up the various courses on offer. Officials of IGNOU share that such an initiative would help the CSWs to improve their lives as well as to educate their children. All this effort is being made so that CSWs and their families can become independent and lead a normal life by quitting the flesh trade business.

IGNOU is known to offer special courses for upliftment of people who do not have the required resources. Other programmes on offer by the varsity are MBA courses offered at the Nagpur Central Jail, short-term training programmes offered to tribal women in Gadchiroli area as well as other courses which are offered to the deprived sections of society so that they can lead a better life.