[Answered] Notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. In the light of the statement, enumerate the recommendations of the Supreme Court Appointed panel for the welfare of sex workers.

Exercising powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court recently asked states and Union Territories to “implement” and “to act in strict compliance of” certain recommendations made by a panel appointed by the court in 2011 for the rehabilitation of sex workers. The order listed 10 recommendations of the panel, and directed that 6 of them should be implemented.

These recommendations are as follows:

1. Provision for immediate medical assistance for any sex worker who is a victim of sexual assault.
2. Gave direction to states to do a survey of all Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956.
3. Protective Homes so that cases of adult women who are detained against their will can be reviewed and processed for release in a time-bound manner.
4. Sensitising police and other law enforcement agencies to the rights of sex workers and to ensure that police treat them with dignity and do not abuse them verbally or physically or coerce them into any sexual activity.
5. Ask The Press Council of India to issue appropriate guidelines for the media to take utmost care not to reveal the identities of sex workers.
6. Measures that sex workers employ for their health and safety (condoms, etc.) must neither be construed as offences nor seen as evidence of commission of an offence.
7. No criminal action against sex worker who is adult and participating with consent.
8. Arresting only the brothel owner and not sex workers during raid on brothels.
9. Role of sex workers in decision-making processes, including planning, designing and implementing policy relating to sex work.
10. A recommendation with regard to children of sex workers.

Adult men, women and transgender persons in sex work have the right to earn through providing sexual services, live with dignity, and remain free from violence, exploitation, stigma and discrimination. Parliament must also take a re-look at the existing legislation.