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**Headline: Sonagachi Sex Workers Mark 30 Years of Rights Advocacy, Still Fighting for Recognition**

**Kolkata, West Bengal, September 19, 2025:** The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC), an organization advocating for the rights of sex workers, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. For three decades, the organization has been battling stigma, discrimination, and violence, while striving for recognition as legitimate laborers in India.

Based in Sonagachi, Kolkata, one of Asia’s largest red-light districts, DMSC began in 1992 by distributing condoms to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It has evolved into a powerful advocacy group, giving voice to sex workers, including transgender individuals, and pushing for decriminalization as a key to ending trafficking and exploitation.

Despite their efforts, the women of Sonagachi continue to face significant challenges. Stigma remains deeply entrenched, preventing full social inclusion. Violent customers, lack of legal protection, and systemic discrimination in accessing basic services are ongoing concerns. While DMSC has empowered women to fight for their rights – gaining access to resources like ration cards, bank accounts, and launching financial cooperatives – broader societal acceptance and legal reforms are still needed.

“We work hard for our bread, and we demand workers’ rights,” says a sentiment often heard within the community. DMSC argues that sex work should be included under India’s existing labor laws, granting them the same protections and benefits as other workers.

Even local politicians, like West Bengal’s Minister of Women and Child Development, have attended DMSC events, showing some acceptance. Yet, most sex workers still fear being publicly identified due to potential repercussions for themselves and their families.

DMSC continues to fight for recognition, legal protection, and an end to the stigma that continues to burden the lives of Sonagachi’s sex workers.

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