ChildrenO F S E X W O R K E R S

Improving the living conditions of

A photo story developed as a part of the Liberation and Empowerment: Attaining Dignity and Rights for Sex Workers and their Children in Bangladesh (LEADR) project

DesignSyed Latif HossainAura Communicationsauracomm@gmail.com

PhotographyEmdadul Islam Bitu

Photo Editing© Emdadul Islam Bitu

Image Copyright© ActionAid Bangladesh

Publication Copyright© ActionAid BangladeshHouse 08, Road 136Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212Bangladesh

Publication date:January 2013

Printed in Bangladesh

ChildrenO F S E X W O R K E R S

Improving the living conditions of

A photo story developed as a part of the

Liberation and Empowerment: Attaining Dignity and Rights for Sex Workers and their Children in Bangladesh (LEADR) Project.

This book has been funded by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) as a component of the project “Liberation and Empowerment, Attaining Dignity and Rights for Sex Workers and their Children in Bangladesh” (LEADR). ActionAid Bangladesh is entirely responsible for the content of the book which does not necessarily reflect AECID’s opinion.

All photographs in this book were taken at different times in C&B Ghat and town brothel in Faridpur, Bangladesh

Permission for ActionAid Bangladesh to use the photographs and information was thankfully received from people featured.

ContentsINTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

CHILDREN IN THE BROTHEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

CHANGING CHILDREN’S FATE . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

INTRODUCTIONBangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, is trying to address the living conditions of a particularly marginalized segment of society: sex workers and their children. As a result of the socio-cultural environment of Bangladesh, the sex workers community is still suffering from stigmatization and discrimination. Although their living conditions have improved, sex workers and specially their children need to be much more integrated within the society. Their two main basic needs, healthcare and education must be covered.

ActionAid Bangladesh, with the support of partner organizations, launched the LEADR Project (Liberation and Empowerment: Attaining Dignity and Rights for Sex Workers and their Children in Bangladesh) in December 2011. This project has been funded by AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación y Desarrollo) and its core goal is to promote the rights of this segment of society in order to improve their wellbeing and prevent human trafficking.

As part of the project and in collaboration with Shapla Mohila Sangshta, a Child Development Centre is currently under construction in Faridpur. The Centre will provide a safe and secure living place to at least 100 children from Faridpur brothels.

The present book aims to raise awareness about the living conditions faced by children growing up in brothels and to highlight the advantages of placing them in Child Development Centre.

CHILDREN IN THE BROTHELIn Bangladesh, it is estimated that between 60,000 to 100,000 people are involved in sex work. Because of many complex factors such as legal vacuum, lack of political commitment and the social conservativeness, the sex workers and their children are in a situation of exclusion where they are denied of even the most basic human rights such as health and education. They are victims of power structures that leave them exposed to inhumane conditions like the obligation of using drugs, lack of access to water and sanitation, property rights and legal protection, extortion, trafficking and violence. In this context the children of sex workers are growing up in an unsafe environment and are exposed to the increasing risk of becoming potential victims of the dangerous racket of sex trade.

More than 20,000 children were born and are living in the 18 registered brothels of Bangladesh, among them approximately 250 children are currently living in Faridpur brothels. Children are vulnerable to sexual, physical and emotional violence and abuse from a range of perpetrators including customers, pimps, local authorities and sometimes even their mothers. Although most of the focus is on the protection of girls, boys are often victims too. Boys tend to become pimps once they grow up and girls continue in their mothers’ profession. Most of these girls enter the profession before the age of 12.

6

Girl playing in the brothel courtyard 9

Baby playing alone 11

Girl living in the brothel 13

Children playing in front of their houses 15

Young boy eating at the threshold of his house 17

Child and his mother in their shanty 19

Mother taking care of her child in their shanty 21

Mother and son in front of their thatched house 23

Mother looking after her daughter24

27Teenager looking after younger children

Babies playing alone in the courtyard of the brothel28

31Celebrating birthday

Child bathing

Children learning how to smoke

34

Child smoking

37

Children playing in the brothel 39

Children playing in the brothel 41

CHANGING CHILDREN’S FATEActionAid Bangladesh has been providing financial and technical assistance to Shapla Mohila Sanghsta since 2002. The local organization initially opened a day care centre for 15 children as a pilot project to integrate children of sex workers into the mainstream education system at Faridpur. The day care centre was transformed into a permanent shelter that warantees children’s access to basic needs such as education, food and health support. Now 27 children are receiving education on both primary and secondary level obtaining excelent results in school examinations. Children are also benefiting from school support and cultural activities such as dancing, drawing and drama.

Positive changes have been observed among the children. They enjoy attending school and cultural activities, they feel integrated and dream of becoming doctors or teachers. Although many of them still need to conceal their familiar backgrounds to protect themselves from social stigma, they also realize they can change their fate through education and do not want to come back to the brothels. The construction of a new Child Development Centre will allow us to increase the number of children who can change their fate but still more efforts are required not only from NGOs but also from society and political leaders. It is mandatory, if we want to improve the current situation, to put an end to social discrimination by creating awareness and defending the rights of all and every Bangladeshi to access mainstream education and public health system.

Girls living in the Child Development Centre on their way to school

Boys living in the Child Development Centre on their

way to school

4544

46

Girls in the Child Development Centre studying for the upcoming yearly exam48

Girls in the Child Development Centre studying for the upcoming yearly exam 51

Ü Teenager doing homework at the Child

Development Centre

Ý Girl revising her lesson at the Child Development Centre

52

Boys in the Child Development Centre studying for the upcoming yearly exam 55

57Boys in the Child Development Centre studying for the upcoming yearly exam

58

Tutor supervising homework at the Child Development Centre

61

Girls of the Child Development Centre taking traditional dance lessons 63

Girls of the Child Development Centre taking traditional dance lessons 65

Boy reading a newspaper at the Child Development Centre

6766

Children at the Child Development Centre practicing extra curricular activities like thematic artwork68

Mothers often meet children at the Child Development Centre

70

Mother and son at the Child Development Centre

72

She does not want to go back to the brothel . She wants to finish her education and become a teacher .74

A girl with her mother resting at the Child Development Centre76

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Design & Production: Aura Comm

unications