Breaking all glass ceilings, Naseema Khatun born and brought up in the red light area of Bihar’s Muzaffarpur has made it as a member of National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) advisory group .
A list of National Human Right Commission’s (NHRC) advisory committee members has been released where Khatun’s name found a place.
NHRC is the supreme justice body of human rights in India. The NHRC advisory group core committee list includes the name of Nasima Khatun who comes from a deprived class of people.
Khatoon was born in Chaturbhuj Sthan, Muzaffarpur in Bihar. Her father was adopted by a sex worker as a child. It was this grandmother who brought up Khatoon. She was given a new life in 1995, when IAS officer Rajbala Verma decided to come up with alternate programmes for sex workers and their families. Naseema enrolled in one such programme, called “Better Life Option”, earning up to ₹500 a month for crochet work. She worked her way out of poverty and became self-reliant.
“Underprivileged people of our community are now coming forward and fighting for their rights,” said Khatoon.
“I got this recognition and responsibility to fight for the rights of marginalised people on the national level because of the blessings of my elders and community,” she added.
“NHRC has made different committees to work in different sectors. And I got the chance to work in one such committee. Now our voice will be heard and reach the right people for justice. It is everyone’s responsibility and we will get success with the efforts of everyone. I express my thankfulness to the officers of the committee,” said Khatun while addressing the people of her community.
Naseema further added that Bihar has red light areas in 38 districts. “I have been working here for girls’ right to education and many other things,” she added.
Work done by Nasima for the welfare of the community
Naseema runs an awareness programme of education and rights with the help of the Parcham organisation along with this she publishes a handwritten monthly magazine. In the recent past, a legal awareness campaign has been going on among the people of the area in collaboration with Sandeep Agnihotri, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, under the leadership of District and Sessions Judge, Muzaffarpur.
Besides this, better employment opportunities have been provided to women in the area in collaboration with District Industries Centre manager Dharmendra Kumar Singh under the chairmanship of Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Pranav Kumar.
The women here have come forward to work on stitching by forming an organization called the Zohra Promotion Group, the Jugnu Ready Made Garment. With the help of senior superintendent of police Jayant Kant, women have got a new strength.