Durjoy Nari Shangha, a sex worker’s organization based in Bangladesh signed an agreement as Lead Organization of a consortium of 8 organizations for implementing GFATM (The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria). More
The title of the package is Provision of Essential Services to Street Based and Hotel/Residence-Based Sex Workers – GF 909 in 25 districts under 3 Divisions in Bangladesh.
This is within GFATM Round 6 Project: HIV Prevention and Control among High Risk Populations and Vulnerable Young People in Bangladesh supported by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) received by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), The Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and managed by Save the Children USA.
The agreement was signed in a ceremony held in LGRD Auditorium, Dhaka on January 24, 2008 in presence of Secretary Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as chief guest. Other high level government officials, representatives from non-government organizations and UN agencies present in this occasion. In all, eight Consortia signed agreement for eight separate packages in the ceremony. All the Consortia including the consortium lead by Durjoy Nari Shangha has been selected for implementation of a particular GFATM Package through a competitive process.
Durjoy Nari Shangha has emerged as a sex workers organization since 1998 with the aim of uniting sex workers across the country to build their and their children’s self-esteem, increase their mutual respect, enhance their skills and capacity, and stablish their social dignity and human rights. They have received the Red Ribbon Award at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto in 2006 for outstanding contribution to the front-line response to HIV and AIDS.
They have implemented successful projects on HIV prevention and human rights in Dhaka, Khulna, Dinajpur, Hili, Burimai, Saidpur, and Rangpur.
The other consortium members are:
Action Aid Bangladesh, based in United Kingdom, started its activities in 1983 in Bangladesh with the objectives of changing the capacities of people and groups whose rights have been denied and violated in obtaining justice. It now works in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Jamalpur, Netrokona, Bhola, Galachipa, Bogra, Rangamati, Satkhira, Manikganj and Chandpur districts. Its target groups include adolescent girls, young women and children in the streets, disabled people, indigenous communities, landless groups, men at greatest risk of contracting and passing on sexually transmitted infections and HIV, and sex works.
Bangladesh AIDS Prevention Society (BAPS) has been involved with multiple HIV prevention approaches for almost 10 years in collaboration with CIDA, Action Aid, FHI, UNESCO and UNFPA across the nation.
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF), a media community based organization since 1997, has been involved in human rights activities, communication & advocacy on HIV and AIDS and media networking in collaboration with NASP, UNDP, UNOPS, CARE Bangladesh, HASAB, UNICEF, UNAIDS and BNF.
Peoples Development Community (PDC) has experience in working with sex workers since the year 2000. It has also been working on general and reproductive health, nutrition, family planning, and literacy with the government for the past three years in 4 districts.
Sylhet Jubo Academy (SJA), since 1991, has specialized in youth training projects to develop their economic prospects, and now focuses on combating the problems of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment malnutrition, disease and rehabilitation with in all four districts of Sylhet Division, covering over half a million people. It has also been involved in implementing HIV/AIDS prevention activities for Hotel-based Sex workers and their clients.
Asiatic Marketing Communications Limited (Asiatic MCL) has been operating in Bangladesh for 37 years and has developed as a leading advertising agency. It now also engages in multi-dimensional national communications efforts including those to support HIV and STI prevention campaigns.
MRC-Mode Ltd., established in 1991, is one of the largest research organizations in Bangladesh, has wide experience in conducting HIV related qualitative and quantitative research needs assessments and KAP surveys among drug users, tribal populations, street children and sex workers.
Objective of this package:
To rapidly scale up HIV essential services to Street-Based and Hotel/Residence-Based Female Sex Workers (SB & H/RB FSW SB & H/RB FSW) populations at higher risk and vulnerability.
The active participation and involvement of target group self-help associations and associated community based organizations (CBO) is recognized to be a key factor in the success of such interventions. Strengthening of their capacity therefore is considered a vital component of this package. Selected organizations will be familiar with and build upon examples of successful implementation with these target sub-groups (including interventions which target gatekeepers such as hotel and residence managers and other employees and landlords). There will be provision of 40 Drop-in-Centers and to reach 10,000 female sex workers.
For more information: Shahanaz Begum, President
Durjoy Nari Shangha
e-mail: durjoy_98@yahoo.com