3. COUNTRY PROFILE (CONT.)
• Name: People Republic of Bangladesh
• Population: 164.7 million
• Area: 143,998 sq km (55,598 sq miles)
• Major Language: Bengali
• Major Religion: Islam (89%)
• Life Expectancy: 71.1 years (Men), 74.4 years
(Women)
• Currency: Taka (1$= 86 Tk)
• Capital: Dhaka
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4. SEX WORKER AND GLOBAL PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH
• In most countries, sex workers are stigmatised, discriminated against,
prosecuted, and harassed.
• They are often seen as immoral people or as victims of traffickers who
exploit the lack of opportunities of deprivileged inhabitants of mostly
poor countries.
• However, as a public health workers we should be addressed their
conditions, rather than the nature, of sex work.
• Rights based approach and a holistic perspective of public health
workers, policy makers, and researchers on sex work is crucial for
improvement of the health of sex workers.
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5. SEX WORKER AND GLOBAL PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH (CONT.)
• The global health burden of sex work
including HIV and other sexually transmitted
infections, alcohol and drug use, mental
health problems and violence.
• The risk of acquiring HIV is13.5 times higher
for female sex workers.
• Around 36.9 million people globally were living
with HIV in 2017.
• Around 8 million people became newly
infected with HIV in 2017.
Source: UNAIDS, 2017 507/11/2018 Dr. Rishad C Robin
6. SEX WORKER AND GLOBAL PUBLIC
HEALTH APPROACH (CONT.)
• Globally, female sex workers are 13.5% more likely to be living with HIV
than other women of reproductive age.
• In Asia, female sex workers are almost 30% more likely to be living with
HIV.
• WHO supports countries to address these structural barriers and ensure
sex workers’ human rights as well as implementing a comprehensive
package of HIV and health services for sex workers through community
lead approaches.
Source: WHO, 2018
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7. SEX WORKER IN BANGLADESH
• Prostitution is somehow legal in Bangladesh, but the Bangladesh
constitution provides that the "State shall endeavor to prevent gambling
and prostitution." Various provisions of different laws prohibit child
prostitution, forced prostitution, solicitation and the keeping of
unlicensed brothels.
• There are around 140,000 sex workers in the country.
• One of worlds biggest brothel named Daulatdiai brothel located in
Bangladesh where around 1400 sex workers are working everyday.
• Around 3000 man take services from Daulatdiai brothel per day.
Source: UNAIDS, 2017
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8. HIV & STD IN BANGLADESH
• 5,586 HIV positive cases were detected in Bangladesh of whom 865
were new .
• Most of the newly identified people living with HIV were concentrated in
the capital Dhaka.
• The estimated number of people living with HIV was 13,000 and the
estimated sizes of the Key Populations are
– 102,260 for female sex workers,
– 29,777 for male sex workers,
– 33,067 for people who inject drugs,
– 101,695 for males having sex with males,
– 10,199 for transgender women.
• 53.3% sex workers are suffering from STDs.Source: UNAIDS, 2017
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9. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
• National AIDS/STD Program were formed focuses on behaviour-change
interventions for safer sexual practice and promotion of condoms.
• The five priority areas for HIV interventions in Bangladesh
– Support and services for priority groups, prevention of vulnerability to HIV,
– Safe practices in the healthcare system,
– Care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS, and
– Minimizing the impact of the HIV epidemicractices
– Promotion of condoms
Source: ICDDR,B 2009
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