গর্ভ: Rehabilitation center for sex workers of Bangladesh

Abstract

Around 200,000 women operate as sex workers in Bangladesh. There are 20 brothel villages in the country where prostitution is legal and the number of illegal settlements is undetermined. Many NGOs estimate that most of the women that are brought to the brothels are minors. Obviously most of them do not come into this business out of self will. Many are forced to enter this trade at a very young age. These women spend the most important time of their lives in this trade and do not get enough education, sometimes none at all. Therefore, none of them develop any skills in their lives. So even if they want to leave this profession and adapt to more socially acceptable lifestyles, they can't. Because they lack the skill sets. These women are constantly abused, medically experimented on and devoid of all kinds of basic human rights. Not only are they viewed as members of the untouchable Bangladeshi society but also they have no support from their family or the government. The real issue with these sex workers is that they cannot get out of this trade because they have no other skills to utilize. These women mother a large number of children who also do not get the proper education to enter the skilled work force. These women and their children do not have access to proper health care and many of their medical problems are overlooked, resulting into a higher mortality rate among these sex workers and their offspring. "গর্ভ" aims to provide a safe haven for these sex workers currently working in Daulatdia - biggest brothel in the country, housing over 1500 women. The project will be funded by Sex Workers Network which is one of the only NGOs who are working in Bangladesh within this sector. The project will provide housing facilities, vocational training center, primary education, and medical services. Initially the project will be designed to house 500 women - temporarily and some permanently. The project will also provide primary education for the children. The aim is to design a sanctuary for the women where they can rehabilitate physically and psychologically, resulting into a healthier normal lifestyle. The whole idea is to provide skills that they can use to enter other work force in the society.