<p>Taking cognisance of a report by the Delhi Commission for Women on GB Road’s condom crisis, the Delhi government Wednesday decided to purchase four lakh condoms immediately for supplying to sex workers at the red light area. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The decision was taken after Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain held a meeting with DCW chief Swati Maliwal.<br /><br />Maliwal, along with other commission members, visited the red light area last month to inspect the conditions and hear complaints of sex workers, where she was informed that they were not receiving condoms for the past several months and were forced to buy them on their own. <br /><br />According to the report, “it was often that these sex workers, who earn a meager amount, are unable to purchase condoms on their own which makes them and others extremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases.”<br /><br />It was later found that the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), a body under the central government and authorised to distribute condoms to states, had to send the Delhi State AIDS Control Society 12 lakh condoms per month, but for the past four months there has been no supply to GB Road, except a one-time supply of 24 lakh condoms in May 2015.<br /><br />Following this, the commission had written to NACO to explain the reasons behind the gap in supply and also approchaed the Delhi Health department.<br /><br />“The Health minister has issued an order to purchase four lakh condoms on its own to address the crisis till NACO resumes supply,” a DCW official said. <br /><br />Placement agencies<br /><br />In an another decision, the Delhi government begun the process of licensing private placement agencies in an effort to curb trafficking of women.<br /><br />The DCW in a letter to Labour Minister Gopal Rai expressed concern over unregulated placement agencies playing a key role in human trafficking in India.<br /><br />“During our visits to G B Road and Nari Niketan we learnt that most women there had been brought from their hometowns by placement agencies on the pretext of giving jobs and then sold off to work in brothels, or as domestic workers,” Maliwal had said in her letter.<br /><br />The decision came a week after two Nepalese nationals were allegedly raped and forced to work in the house of a Saudi diplomat.<br /><br />According to officials, the placement agencies register themselves online but do not take permissions or licence to start operations.<br /><br />“There are 1,237 such placement agencies operating without licences. The government will issue notices to all of them Thursday and ask them to apply for licences,” an official said.<br /><br />A draft bill on regularisation of private placement agencies is being prepared after which it will be presented in the Delhi Assembly soon.<br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Taking cognisance of a report by the Delhi Commission for Women on GB Road’s condom crisis, the Delhi government Wednesday decided to purchase four lakh condoms immediately for supplying to sex workers at the red light area. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The decision was taken after Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain held a meeting with DCW chief Swati Maliwal.<br /><br />Maliwal, along with other commission members, visited the red light area last month to inspect the conditions and hear complaints of sex workers, where she was informed that they were not receiving condoms for the past several months and were forced to buy them on their own. <br /><br />According to the report, “it was often that these sex workers, who earn a meager amount, are unable to purchase condoms on their own which makes them and others extremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases.”<br /><br />It was later found that the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), a body under the central government and authorised to distribute condoms to states, had to send the Delhi State AIDS Control Society 12 lakh condoms per month, but for the past four months there has been no supply to GB Road, except a one-time supply of 24 lakh condoms in May 2015.<br /><br />Following this, the commission had written to NACO to explain the reasons behind the gap in supply and also approchaed the Delhi Health department.<br /><br />“The Health minister has issued an order to purchase four lakh condoms on its own to address the crisis till NACO resumes supply,” a DCW official said. <br /><br />Placement agencies<br /><br />In an another decision, the Delhi government begun the process of licensing private placement agencies in an effort to curb trafficking of women.<br /><br />The DCW in a letter to Labour Minister Gopal Rai expressed concern over unregulated placement agencies playing a key role in human trafficking in India.<br /><br />“During our visits to G B Road and Nari Niketan we learnt that most women there had been brought from their hometowns by placement agencies on the pretext of giving jobs and then sold off to work in brothels, or as domestic workers,” Maliwal had said in her letter.<br /><br />The decision came a week after two Nepalese nationals were allegedly raped and forced to work in the house of a Saudi diplomat.<br /><br />According to officials, the placement agencies register themselves online but do not take permissions or licence to start operations.<br /><br />“There are 1,237 such placement agencies operating without licences. The government will issue notices to all of them Thursday and ask them to apply for licences,” an official said.<br /><br />A draft bill on regularisation of private placement agencies is being prepared after which it will be presented in the Delhi Assembly soon.<br />DH News Service</p>
