The smart card way to self-esteem 

The smart card initiative in Karnataka seeks to bring a sense of
inclusion, along with better health facilities, to sex workers.

PUSHPA and her colleagues, armed with their new smart cards, will soon
be able to buy clothes for themselves and their loved ones. By taking
advantage of cash incentives, offered by some vendors, these women
from now on can look their best. With every purchase, points will be
added. These accumulated points, credited to their smart cards, can be
redeemed for discounts or gifts, when they make purchases at a later
date. They can also present these cards at restaurants or at the store
where they buy their provisions.

The only string attached to keep these cards valid is that they will
have to turn up for health check-ups at least once in every three
months. The women will have to report at the clinic set up by the
Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), Mysore (funded by Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation's India AIDS Initiative) for the sex workers,
where they will undergo a thorough health check-up, for any symptoms
of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections).

The Ashodaya Mahila Samanwaya Samithi is a newly registered
organisation of sex workers from Mysore and Mandya districts who have
been mobilised by the KHPT. This innovative smart card scheme is the
result of several discussions and partnership between KHPT, Ashodaya
and Pennant Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd., which prepared the software
for the initiative.

The pilot smart card initiative involves 500 sex workers. "We are
excited at the prospect of getting the smart card. It is not so much
about the discount, but as much about the feeling that I am as
privileged as any other person in society," says Vijaylakshmi.

At the onset of this project, five business establishments that
include two restaurants, two garment shops and a provision store have
taken up this smart card initiative, and shortly will introduce it to
their customers. Small hand-held computers, Simputers, at their
establishments will read the smart cards. While the vendors can record
and read their transactions on these cards, they will have no access
to the health data stored on them. The health data can only be entered
and accessed at the clinic, using the main computer. The system is
designed in such a way that the Simputers will not read cards that
have not been updated at the clinic in the last three months.

With the sex worker facing stigma and discrimination every day of her
life, the smart card is more than just a "plastic" cash incentive; it
symbolises a sense of self-worth, independence and most importantly, a
sense of inclusion. "These days, everyone carries a credit, insurance
or other cards, so why not us?" was the uniform chorus among them.

Their experience in the last two years, of coming together, has helped
them to assess their own lives more objectively and in some cases even
come to terms with the choices they were forced to make. They
articulate this clearly. "We used to constantly feel guilty and
worthless because we felt we were doing something wrong. Since we
became part of the self-organisation, we realise that we had responded
to many compulsions and realities in our lives. Most of these were not
of our making and therefore we now feel that we are workers like
anyone else, pursuing a livelihood like anyone else."

Having suffered neglect, abuse, exploitation, harassment and even
violence from either close family members, clients, middlemen, law
enforcement officers or often, just the general public, they say,
"Most of us did not enter this profession voluntarily. Our
circumstances and those around us forced us to, why should people
question what we do to survive?" They are beginning to gain the
courage to question and to negotiate. They recognise their rights like
any other citizen and are prepared to exercise them.

With sex workers having to support their families with their earnings
and needing to spend a substantial amount on transport, refreshments
and their personal grooming and appearance, getting a discount on
their purchases and bills is a meaningful incentive. As Pushpa put it,
"It is not uncommon for us to buy as many as three new saris a month.
Being smartly dressed is an integral part of our work."

The real driving force behind the new smart cards initiative is to
motivate the women to seek optimum options to enhance their health.
Regular health check-ups and timely treatment are essential to counter
the risk of STI in their profession. The efforts of Ashodaya has
ensured that over 1,100 sex workers are availing of the health
services, provided at the clinic.

Ashodaya, along with well-known public figures, has celebrated Labour
Day, Independence Day, World AIDS Day, and more recently their first
anniversary. In their effort to gain the respect that they deserve
from society, the smart card could turn out to be another small step
in their courageous journey towards being recognised as equals