Vocational Skill training for 300 girls vulnerable to sexual exploitation

The Devadasi System which began as a form of worship, is now a religious sanction given to prostitution in lower caste Devadasi families.

It is an institutional exploitation of young girls and women in the name of culture and tradition marred by those with vested interests. This system results in the socio-economical and sexual exploitation of young girls who are dedicated as Devadasis post their puberty. Children of Devadasis who are not yet dedicated as sex workers are also extremely vulnerable to abuse, discrimination and exploitation.

The lower caste Devadasi community's poor socio-economic condition as a result of years of exploitation, becomes a reason for the young girl get into sex work to make ends meet. She is left without any choice.

To address the issue, Children of India has been instrumental in facilitating the project Getting Out of the Devadasi System or Children GOOD.

As part of the project, girls below 18 from Devadasi families who are vulnerable to and victims of exploitation across five districts of North Karnataka (Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Ballari and Koppala) are identified and grouped into Kishori Clubs (Children's Clubs) where they are sensitised on child rights, child protection, advocacy, life skills, enrolled in schools and facilitated in continuation of schooling. Another major intervention of the project has been to provide Vocational Skill Training to 50 girls of which 12 girls now have been placed in steady well paying jobs.

Seeing the success of this initiative, the project plans to scale up its interventions and provide Vocational Skill training to girls in courses where the skills are in demand in the labour market of the region.

The following is the action planned

1. Vocation Skill training support to 150 girls in Fashion Design and Tailoring to work in the thriving jeans stitching industry in North Karnataka
2. Vocational Skill training support to 150 girls in an Officer Manager's source where the girl is taught computer skills for office operations. This skill is also in high demand in North Karnataka with many offices requiring labour with good computer skills.

The following will be the impact of the intervention

1. Alternate source of livelihood for Devadasi families resulting in the young girl not needing to get into sex work to provide for the family
2. Increase in the socio-economic status of the young girl and her family where they move towards a better life