Child trafficking
A study of the children of Chaturbhuj Asthan: the red-light district of Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Children of the ‘red light district’ in Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Authors:
; Mahila Development Centre
Publisher:
Consortium for Street Children , 2007
This study aims to open a window on the lives of children and adults from a community whose rich cultural heritage has been lost due to lack of employment, poverty and discrimination. It contributes to a better understanding of the children of Chaturbhuj Asthan - the red-light district of Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
The study is important for the successful planning and implementation of programmes to regenerate the community.
The main objectives of the study are:
- to understand the problems for children in the area through a better understanding of the issues facing the community as a whole
- to access and analyse the problems of the red light area and community
- to ascertain the number of families involved in sex work
- to analyse the socio-economic status of the families
- to gain knowledge of the basic needs and problems of the above families and analyse their causes
- to understand the aspirations and expectations of families in order to create shared strategies for future work for their upliftment
- to research and develop new intervention strategies in the ‘red light area’
The paper notes that past skills of the community could be recognised and capitalised in order to build new livelihoods and self-worth amongst its population. It proposes the following interventions in the future
- programmes for children between 0-6
- income generation for elderly women
- health care
- vocational training programmes
- capacity building of youth, women and jobless men
- alternative education for drop out children
- drug addiction programme
- enhancement of traditional arts and culture
- short stay home for adolescent girls to promote independent living
