HARC - HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre, a non-government community-based organization based in Dhaka Bangladesh celebrated the International Sex Worker Rights Day on 3rd March as many other countries around the world. About 75 female sex workers from various parts of the city attended this special event to show their solidarity and demanded access to equal rights.
This day's history goes back to 2001, when over 25,000 sex workers gathered in West Bengal India for a festival despite efforts from prohibitionist groups who tried to prevent it from taking place by pressuring the government to revoke their permit. The event was organized by Durbar MahilaSamanwaya Committee, a Kolkata based group that has over 50,000 sex worker members, and members of their communities. Sex worker groups across the world have subsequently celebrated 3rd March as an annual, international event, as International Sex Worker Rights Day. This year the theme of the day is labour.
During the HARCevent, the sex workers in Bangladesh mentioned that sex work is a decent work, and they have all the rights like other occupational groups in Bangladesh. During the event sex workers also mentioned that sex work is work, and sex workers should be treated with dignity. Sex workers organize to fight for human rights that are not realized due to criminal laws. Criminalization undermines sex workers' right to labor and workplace protections.
NargisAkter, a sex workers leader said that criminalization puts sex workers at high risk because of fear of arrest and police abuse. To avoid arrest, sex workers move underground which makes them less visible to law enforcement. She added that police have too much power over sex workers when sex work is criminalized. Police threaten sex workers with arrest, public humiliation, and even extortion. Sex workers suffer sexual assault or are beaten by police. Decriminalization empowers sex workers to fight back against illegal police offenders. Criminalization causes sex workers to feel unsafe reporting violent crimes and other abuses. Fear of stigma, and discrimination leads to low rates of reporting violence and abuse. Decriminalization removes these barriers and enables sex workers to report crimes.
During the event, some sex workers performeddance and sang songs. Many sex workers brought along their children and enjoyed the day. The day was like a festival for sex workers. For this special event some very high-level people from the Government of Bangladesh and from sex workers activist groups sent special messages to HARC and they also showed their solidarity to celebrate the International Sex Worker Rights day. Here are the messages from those important people.
HasanulhaqInu, Member of Parliament, Ex Minister, Ministry of Information: We are glad that sex workers in Bangladesh are celebrating international sex workers rights day. I know that sex workers are facing so many challenges and that they are left behind. Our government did many things for marginalized population but not much for sex workers. I believe that sex workers have the right to health and all other rights which the other people are getting in the country. We need to know the correct population of sex workers to ensure their rights to health and stop all kinds of violence against sex workers. We must ensure the education of sex workers' children and that all the rights which the government provide to the people should be the same for sex workers. I believe that the government have to ensure the rights of sex workers, respect their rights and protect sex workers from all human rights violation.
Kaythi Win: Regional Coordinator APNSW Bangkok: This international sex workers rights day originated in 2001, when over 25,000 sex workers gathered in west Bengal, India for a sex worker festival. It is my great pleasure to see that HARC Bangladesh is celebrating this day on 3rd March in Bangladesh. Every human has equal rights and basic human rights are protected by law in every country. On the other hand, violation of sex workers rights is very common in all the countries around the world. Sex workers are stigmatized,discriminated, and isolated from the society. It is time to talk about our rights and demand to protect and respect our rights. I want to say only 3rd March is not sex workers rights day, rather every day is sex workers rights day. We need to reiterate every day that we deserve the same rights as everyone else in a nation until we are fully granted what we are asking for and deserve. This year the theme is "labor", and we strongly demand labor rights forsex work as sex work is a decent work and we are workers like any other occupationalgroups. I wish Bangladesh will promote, protect and respect the human rights of sex workers.
Aroma Dutta, Member of Parliament, Regional Representative for Asia in the international Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNED): Today is 3rd March, International sex workers rights day. The sex workers around the world are celebrating this day. Sex workers around the world are also demanding their rights. I am glad that in our country sex workers are also celebrating this day and demanding their rights. We are carefully listing their demands for rights and supporting their rights from the core of our heart. We have taken some projects to protect the rights of sex workers. The social welfare ministry is coordinating the project. In the first phase of the project, we will go door to door of sex workers to hear from them what they need and how we can fulfil their needs. Our initiative also includes the rights of sex workers' children. We want to ensure the rights of education of sex workers' children under this project. Our government also ensures that the Covid vaccine is available for all sex workers in the country, and we are monitoring it carefully. I have worked many times with sex workers and I know their life. When I talk with them, I feel upset for the next 3 days as they have so many problems in their life. As a woman, I feel so sorry when I think I could not carry out my responsibilities for other women sex workers. On 3rd March our commitment and promise from our heart and soul is to be more tolerant towards sex workers, support their rights, respect their rights, and establish their rights.
Sultana Begum, President, Green Bangla Garments Workers Association: We are happy to see that sex workers in Bangladesh are celebrating international sex workers rights day and this year the theme is labor. We strongly believe that sex work is work and they have full rights to set up a trade union as deemed necessary. In 2019, I was present at the national sex workers conference organized by HARC, and I was talking with sex workers about the possibility to form a trade union. We did some initial work to include sex workers with trade union but due to Covid-19 we could not make much progress. We have a plan to move forward with the trade union idea once again, after the Covid-19 crisis stabilizes. I strongly believe that sex workers have full right to develop trade union and they have rights to be involved with trade union. Sex work is also an occupational group so they can set up trade union as other workers do.
AbulHossaion, President, Textile Garments Workers Federation: Through HARC, I would like to send my greetings to all sex workers in Bangladesh as well as to those sex workers around the world. ILO mentioned that if anyone works for money or goods, then they are workers. The sex workers history in Bangladesh is very old. This occupational group has been in our society for a long time. We enjoy our life with them, but we are not aware about their rights. As a worker's leader I strong believe sex work is work and sex workers are workers. Today is 3rd March, international sex workers rights day, and on this day, I would like to give my respect to all sex workers in Bangladesh as well as to those sex workers around the world. I am also demanding that ILO should call a convention soon to protect the labour rights of sex workers, to change the constitution, ensure sex workers rights as workers' rights and to protect their social rights.
Niger Sultana, Coordinator HARC Bangladesh: It is our great pleasure that we are showing solidarity with millions of sex workers around the world on this special day. We are fighting for sex workers' rights every day and every single day is the day to demand for the rights of sex workers. HARC is fighting to promote, protect and respect the rights of sex workers over the last 17 years. We know we are far behind in getting equal rights, but we must continue our struggle until we get equal rights. We all know violence, stigma and discrimination is disrupting the lives of sex workers each and every day. On this special day we demand freedom for sex workers from violence, stigma, and discrimination. We demand equal rights for all sex workers, and equal justice for all. We strongly believe sex work is work and sex workers have all the rights as any other worker.
Latest News