Establishing Human Rights of Sex Workers and their Children
Sex work is considered as the most hated means of livelihood. There prevails deep-rooted social stigma against the Sex Workers (SWs) and their children. The women in sex trade are stigmatized, exploited, oppressed and discriminated by the society in various ways. Thereby thousands of Bangladeshi women engaged in this profession are deprived of enjoying basic human, social and civil rights.
Improve well-being of SWs through promoting and protecting their human rights: PIACT Bangladesh has been undertaking a project titled “Establishing Basic Human Rights of Sex Workers (SWs) and Protect them From Oppression and Exploitation” in Daulatdia brothel in Rajbari district with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) since June, 2003. This is the largest brothel in Bangladesh with over 1500 SWs and 2000 inmates (SWs, children, clients, pimps, small shopkeepers, etc.). The program was implemented in three phases:
In phase-I, concentration was given on awareness raising of SWs about human and citizen right through holding national and local level dialogues, workshop and meeting with SWs, brothel management, local community leaders, local administration, law enforcing agencies and clients. All these activities created an enabling environment for realizing human rights of the SWs in Daulatdia, Madaripur and Jessore brothel. An organization of the self-help group namely, AMOSUS ‘Abohelito Mohila O Shishu Unnyan Shangstha’ was formed and duly registered by the Department of Social Welfare. The office bearers AMOSUS was trained on organizational financial management, record keeping, maintaining their bank account, writing meeting minutes etc.
In phase-II, the capacity of AMOSUS was enhanced to manage their organizations, generate fund through their regular subscriptions,income generation activities as well as from the donors.
In phase-III, AMOSUS was given fund manage the program activities on their own. They hold regular meetings to make decision in running the program activities and mitigate their daily problems. This phase also included dialogues with the central level policy makers to demand their human rights.
The specific purposes of the program were:
- To reduce the level of oppression, exploitation, violence and discrimination against SWs in respect of financial, physical, psychological, environmental and social aspects.
- To strengthen and make functional the mechanism for protection of minor girls in entering into sex business.
- To enhance access of SWs and their children to mainstream opportunities (i.e. health care facilities; education of their children; water and sanitation and safety net programme.
- To capacitate and strengthen the organizations of self-help groups to run their organizations and procure resources for their sustainability.
Major Activities of the Program:
Sensitization and Advocacy
- Articles published in national / local news papers
- TVCs/video documentary film developed and aired in national TV channels/ local media
- IEC materials developed and distributed
- Newsletters developed and published
- National Level Seminars organized
- Meetings with Parliamentary Standing Committees organized
- Information cells established in four project areas
Creating enabling environment for ensuring
Access of SWs to Public services
Creating enabling environment for ensuring
Access of SWs to Public services
- Meetings held with Govt. and other local level stakeholders
- National and International days observed at local and national level
Establishing and strengthening the mechanism for protection of girls trafficked into the brothel from sex business
- Meetings held with Police and Bar Council Members at project areas
- Human Rights Advocacy Groups (HRAG) formed at Madaripur, and Jessore brothel
- HRAG meetings held at Madaripur, Jessore and Daulatdia brothels
- Action Committees formed at Jessore and Madaripur brothels and trafficked girls rescued
- Rescued trafficked girls and Legal support ensured for the victims
- Ensured reintegration of all rescued trafficked girls
- Conducted basic & follow-up individual sessions with the sex workers, bariwalis and their children
Rights Based Life Skill Development Education for SWs
- Module reviewed for rights based life skill development education session
- ToT conducted with Community Facilitators at Daulatdia and Jessore brothel Cluster meetings organized in all the project areas
- Mass Gatherings organized in all the project areas
- Sex workers completed rights based life skill development education in Daulatdia & Jessore brothels
Vocational Training for SWs and their Children
- Communicated and Negotiated with Vocational Training Providers for training of SWs and their children
- Sex workers and their children trained on different job-related training
- Communicated and Negotiated with Concerned Govt. Officials for Overseas Job Placement of SWs and their children
Organizational Sustainability
- Trained of EC Members of Self-help Groups (SHGs) from Jessore and Madaripur brothels on Leadership and Organizational Development issues
- EC Members of SHGs from all the project areas trained on Financial Management issue
- All EC Members of SHGs of Daulatdia, Madaripur and Jessore brothel trained on Entrepreneurship Development issues
- Initiated income generating activities at Daulatdia & Jessore brothel
Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centers
- All Educational and Recreational Materials for ECD procured and purchased
- ECD center decorated for creating a child friendly environment
- Sex Workers’ children enrolled in the schools at Daulatdia
