Office of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Patna. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Children of sex workers across the state would soon be able to get educated with Bihar Commission for Protection of Child Rights deciding to focus on red light areas.

The commission has tied up with various organisations to educate the children as part of its effort to rehabilitate the minors. “We are aware of the problems of sex workers. During surveys conducted last month in the red light districts of Muzaffarpur, they shared their problems with us,” commission chairperson Nisha Jha said.

She added that the sex workers complained about the difficulties they faced while admitting their children to school. “At the time of admission, the schools ask the names of the children’s fathers. But as most of them do not know the identity of the progenitor, they are denied admission,” Jha said.

The commission is trying to motivate the sex workers to send their children to school.

Jha said: “We will ensure that each sex worker sending her children to school gets a monthly grant of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. We will collaborate with private companies interested in the public-private partnership project.

“The sex workers would be provided with sewing machines so that they can stitch clothes and earn a livelihood.”

The chairperson added that the commission would soon submit a proposal to chief minister Nitish Kumar, suggesting that the rehabilitated sex workers be given the responsibility of sewing uniform for students of various government schools.

At present, the commission is focusing on Muzaffarpur. Later, the project would be extended to Motihari and Bettiah.