wfn.org | FEATURE: Bangladesh - On the Streets but Yearning for a

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

FEATURE: Bangladesh - On the Streets but Yearning for a Reputable Life
Local NGO Starts HIV/AIDS Awareness Raising among Sex Workers

SAIDPUR, Bangladesh/GENEVA, 5 December 2003 (LWI) - Rashida was
orphaned in early childhood. At the age of 13 she began working
as a housemaid in a police officer's house. In his wife's absence
the man would force her to have sex with him, but the young girl
could not report the matter for fear of losing her job.
Ultimately the abuse was disclosed and neighbors forced him to
marry the girl. Although this did not bring happiness to Rashida,
it did bring some form of security. The birth of her baby girl
should have increased the feeling of security, but one morning
the policeman and his first wife simply left, abandoning the
newborn and her mother. Rashida took shelter in an abandoned
railway carriage, and began to beg. Her new-found husband, a
restaurant waiter, left her after one month. She became a sex
worker to pay her house rent and feed her child.

Maya, 26, regularly visits the Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service
(RDRS) sex workers' help center at Saidpur. Brought up in a large
poor rural family, she was married off to a much older man when
she was only 16. She fled the marital home after learning that
her husband had four other wives. But her parents were
unsympathetic, they turned her out and she sought refuge at the
local railway station. After two days with nothing to eat, a male
stranger, seemingly touched by her sad story, not only offered
her food but also promised a job. He led her to an abandoned
house where six people raped her, leaving her unconscious. She
woke up with pain and bruises, but beside her were some 60 taka
(USD 1). She bought some painkillers and food but was only able
to manage for a week. With neither job nor shelter, trading her
body for sex was her best option to earn a living.

Sex Workers Find Hospitality at RDRS Help Center

Women like Maya and Rashida "join this profession after bitter
experiences with brutality and betrayal. Their feelings have
become somewhat blunt, they have lost faith in people that they
trusted," says Dr Salima Rahman, whose work as coordinator of the
RDRS community health program brings her into regular contact
with sex workers. The RDRS began in the early 70's as a country
program of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for
World Service (DWS). In 1997, it was transformed into a national
non-governmental organization (NGO) under its present name, RDRS
Bangladesh. 

Rahman describes her work with the sex workers. Saidpur is a
busy commercial center in northern Bangladesh. Some years ago,
the government outlawed a popular sex workers' hostel there, but
the sex workers remained. They currently operate mainly around
the railway station and workshops, earning from 30 to 200 taka
(from USD 0.50 to 3.38). They list their clients as college
students, cart-pullers, businessmen and even members of the
law-enforcing agencies. Agents often hire them to have sex with
many partners. But violence is a daily threat. Clients beat them
up, and snatch their money and ornaments. 

The RDRS has operated in northwest Bangladesh for over 32 years
under its development program aimed at providing the rural poor
with sustainable and improved living standards. The Saidpur
center was established in June 2002 to cater for the welfare of
the so-called "floating sex workers." They do not have a fixed
abode. Over 150 sex workers have registered at the center, which
has shower, rest, cooking and recreation facilities. Twice a
week, a woman doctor and nurse carry out medical check-ups, and
provide free treatment for the sex workers, their children and
clients. 

Awareness Raising about HIV/AIDS, Plans to Start
Income-Generating Activities
 
Some 20 sex workers attend the center every morning. Its
supervisor provides health education classes aimed at raising
awareness about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and
HIV/AIDS. There is emphasis on protective measures especially
condom usage against STDs and HIV transmission. 

The RDRS plans to start tailoring and adult-literacy courses for
interested sex workers. Rahman concludes: "As far as resources
permit, the RDRS will continue to help the sex workers so that
they may lead a better life. Some of them wish to learn
income-generating activities and lead respectful lives." 

The RDRS is among NGOs that are working to raise awareness and
implement effective interventions on HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. The
United Nations AIDS agency, UNAIDS, estimates the country's
prevalence at a relatively low 13,000 cases. But there are
indicators that the 137 million-people nation, in which poverty
is a major challenge, has a high HIV/AIDS vulnerability
especially among sex workers.* (786 words)

(Edited from the original feature story by Dr Salima Rahman.)

*The 14th article in the LWI "Healing Features" series.

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where
the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the
material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

*	*	*

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