Disadvantaged Communities: Sex Workers and their Children
The SWs and their children are poor, discriminated , socially excluded and exploited. Since the brothel based SWs are easily identifiable, they are more vulnerable in these regards.
From the above perspectives, in 2000, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Welfare, with financial support of UNDP undertook a program in selected urban areas and brothels titled “Capacity-Building, Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Livelihood of the Socially Disadvantaged Women (SDW) and their Children” . PIACT Bangladesh implemented the program in Daulatdia brothel , which is the largest brothel in the country covering about 40 % of the SWs of the total 10 brothels in the country. It is situated in Daulatdia union under Goalanda Upazila of Rajbari District.
Program Objectives
- To empower and facilitate the SDW to alleviate poverty, improve their life conditions and assist them to opt for alternative professions for leading a sustainable social life.
- To create alternative environment for care, protection and development of the children of the SDW living in brothel situations and assist them to be socially integrated to lead a productive and self-reliant social life.
- To strengthen the legal and social support system and create favorable atmosphere among the SDW and their children to ensure rights, social dignity and other social life aspects.
- To develop suitable strategies, policies and a program package to address the problem of the SDW in the country.
- To conduct suitable skill development training program for SDW and their elderly children for creating alternative job options.
- Crèche & Basic Education
- Schooling for Children (including formal and non-formal education both for SDW and their children)
- Boarding facilities for SDW and their children during vocational training period
- Health care for the SDW and their children including counseling
- Market survey
- Vocational training for the SDW including training on awareness building
- Vocational training for children
- Micro-capital for the SDW and children of age group 16 years and above
Goal:
To empower socially disadvantaged targeted women and their children of Daulatdia brothel.
Activities performed:
- Organized a self-help group and provided training on management of group members, dynamic of group formation and the spirits and benefits of working together.
- The peers form self-help groups were trained on the program activities, management and supervision of the program; and coordination among them, brothel management, local influentials, law enforcing agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
- Helped develop savings habit, opening bank account and operation of bank account.
- 7 SDWs were given Tk.10,000 each for resettlement in their families. They were provided training on different trades and also had their own savings. They left the brothel, got engaged in income generation activities and began family and social life.
- Provided care and protection to 200 children (0-18 years) of sex workers
- Provided 24 hours accommodation to 145 children
- Provided food, clothing, recreation and health services to 145 children
- Provided basic education to 125 children aged up to 6 years
- Provided pre-school teaching to 125 children to qualify in test for admission in primary school
- Admitted 108 children into formal school
- Provided non-formal and functional education to 900 SDW and their 25 elderly children following the DNFE method and curriculum
- Given knowledge on maintaining/operating Bank account
- Provided psychological counseling to 700 SDW
- Provided health care services to 900 SDW and their 200 children
- Condom promotion for safe sex practice
- Provided vocational training to 850 SDW and 275 adolescent children. The trades include: embroidery, screen printing, block boutique, sewing, tailoring, candle making and sanitary napkin
- Arranged job placement for 13 children and self-employment for 26 SDW
It is pertinent to mention here that the project termed the sex workers as Socially Disadvantaged Women (SDW) in order to avoid the social stigma attached to them.
With the withdrawal of UNDP funding PIACT Bangladesh has been continuing the program with shelter home for children for sex workers in a limited scale with its own resources. During July 2000 to June 2011 a total of 120 children have been provided with accommodation, fooding, clothing, health care services at the safe home established under the project and being maintained by PIACT Bangladesh. The children of the sex workers sheltered at the safe home have also been given education in the formal education system and also arranges higher education for some of these children who have done well in the examination and wants to continue higher studies. These children were not allowed to enter into the brothel. However, their mothers were allowed to come and see their children at the safe home at fixed time.
Currently 19 children within age group of 2-18 years are residing in the safe home. Of them 6 are boys and 13 are girls. They are studing in different grades from Nursery to HSC in formal school .
Moreover, over the period PIACT arranged social marriage for 10 girls who were staying in the safe home of PIACT Bangladesh and most of them are enjoying decent social family life .
Key activities
Boarding facilities, health care, vocational training, education , job placement and social integration
- Boarding children having physical training
- Crèche children are enjoying folksong
