Ruchira Gupta presents Girls Bazaar (I Kick and I Fly) in Paris with CAP International

On October 1, 2025, CAP International organized book event in Paris with Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap in India. At the Chantelivre bookshop, she presented her first novel I Kick and I Fly, which delves into the reality of women and girls in India's red light districts. 

A literary meeting in Paris

On October 1, 2025, CAP International organized a literary meeting with Ruchira Gupta, founder of the Indian association Apne Aap, a member of CAP International. The event, supported by two member associations in France – the Fondation Scelles and the Mouvement du Nid – took place at the Chantelivre bookshop in Paris. This evening brought together partners, journalists and readers to discuss the fight against prostitution of women and girls.

A journey into the heart of India's red-light districts 

In her first novel I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta immerses us in the reality of women and girls in prostitution in Forbesganj, in the state of Bihar (northern India). This young adult novel reveals the hunger, poverty and lack of access to hygiene and basic rights that characterise daily life in India's red light districts. 

Inspired by her field experience with Apne Aap, which has been supporting women and girls in their exit from prostitution for more than twenty years, I Kick and I Fly highlights the indigenous Nats community, which is particularly targeted by prostitution. 

The colonial legacy of intergenerational prostitution

Ruchira Gupta reminds us that British colonization played a decisive role in the development of intergenerational prostitution among the Nats. 

Before colonization, this tribe lived off dancing, acrobatics and crafts. These activities, criminalized under the British Empire, have led to their displacement from ancestral lands and plunged many families into poverty. To survive, women were exploited in prostitution, creating a "sustainable" source of income. Even today, this pattern is deeply rooted, to the point that, according to Ruchira Gupta, "mothers and daughters think that prostitution is their only destiny." 

Minors targeted by the prostitution system

In Forbesganj, nearly 70 % of the persons in prostitution are minors. Youth, explains Ruchira Gupta, drives up the purchase price: "customers are looking for fresh meat, so to speak." This harsh reality highlights the urgent need for action to break the cycle of sexual exploitation of girls. 

Heera, a character inspired by survivors

The heroine of the novel, Heera, embodies hope and emancipation. Through the practice of kung fu, she reclaims her body and her destiny. This character is directly inspired by the life stories of young girls accompanied by Apne Aap, who sets up concrete alternatives:

• opening bank accounts for women;
• individualized pathways out of prostitution;
• community classes to change attitudes in communities most affected by sexual exploitation

Transforming red light districts into "green districts"

For Ruchira Gupta, ending prostitution and sexual exploitation requires a requires a two-pronged approach:

• developing alternative livelihoods for women and girls;
• cracking down on pimps and targeting male demand.

It recalls the need to put an end to the culturally and socially accepted idea that "men have the right to sexual access to women and girls".

 Today, in Forbesganj, where more than 300 brothels existed, only two remain: a progress that testifies to the impact of the actions of Apne Aap and its international partners.

CAP International and its partners mobilised

By organising this literary event, CAP International and its member associations (Fondation Scelles and Mouvement du Nid) highlighted the consequences of the prostitution system on women and girls around the world. The evening raised awareness among a wide audience and illustrated how literature can be a powerful tool for advocacy and social change. 

• International
• CAP Members
• convening
• India
• Book event