AS winter cloaks Delhi’s streets, the lives of sex workers in Majnu ka Tila and GB Road offer a glimpse into the challenges faced by some of India’s most marginalised women.
Despite the legal framework allowing for safe abortions, systemic barriers, stigma and socio-economic vulnerabilities continue to impede access to reproductive healthcare. The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers on December 17 offers a poignant moment to reflect on these struggles, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's ruling in X versus Principal Secretary (2022) that extended abortion rights to unmarried women.
For sex workers, however, this legal triumph remains largely theoretical in its impact.
The legal landscape
The Supreme Court’s September 2022 decision to recognise the right to abortion for unmarried women was celebrated as a historic step toward gender equality. The judgment, which emphasised the reproductive autonomy and dignity of women, aligned reproductive rights with the constitutional principle of equality.
