-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

Acquired Immune Defiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a viral Sexual Transmission Diseases (STDs) which threatens life expectancy and, with it, development, social cohesion, political stability and food security. It imposes a devastating economic burden on countries. It affects everyone in both developed and less develops countries. It is not a disease of poverty. It is not individual problem. But the epidemic does push people deeper into poverty, making it more difficult for them to sustain or recover their earlier livelihoods. That, in turn, can make people and their families more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection.

In Bangladesh, commercial female sex workers (CSWs) are among the most vulnerable groups. Certainly, young women’ prostitution is mounting in Bangladesh. Young women engage or are forced into prostitution for trafficking or socio-economic reasons. Most of them CSWs are the age of teen and illiterate. Their profession exposes them to tremendous risk and increases the likelihood of their partners/customers also being infected. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation carried out a recent field investigation, the research confirmed that adolescent girls’ prostitution is widespread in Bangladesh, although hidden at first sight from foreigners, especially in Dhaka city. Adolescent girls involved in prostitution are to be found in residence homes converted into brothels or in hotels. The majority are aged 15-18.

Sharing injecting equipment is other most effective ways of spreading an HIV/AIDS epidemic. Studies in several regions in Bangladesh have shown that there is no shortage of risky behaviour among injection drug users (IDUs). This is due to the fact that injection drug use is usually illegal and a socially difficult issue, but also to the widespread perception that HIV/AIDS epidemics among drug users are “impartial”.

In addition to transmission through the sharing of injection equipment, injecting drug users can also transmit HIV/AIDS to their sexual partners. Indeed, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation research had shown sexual links between drug users and other communities. In the first place, male and female injection drug users (IDUs) sometimes sell sex, and some male IDUs are regular clients of commercial female sex workers. If these individuals are infected with HIV/AIDS while sharing needles with other IDUs, there is every chance that they will go on to infect sex workers who in turn may infect clients who have nothing to do with the world of Injection Drugs.

AIDS in Bangladesh therefore depends on the conditions in the commercial sex business, including the frequency of the incidents of men visiting female sex workers. Providing clean needles is also considered important because it decreases the spread of HIV from injection drug users (IDUs). It is also important to bring a behavioural change among commercial sex workers (CSWs) by promoting the use of condom.

Despite the growing public awareness of the existence of the HIV crisis, the actual knowledge of the problem is superficial, particularly vulnerable groups. Their understanding of the modes of transmission and prevention methods is incomplete and often misconstrued. This low level of understanding handicaps positive behavioral changes to prevent infection.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

www.newsletter.com.bd

Sexual trafficking of children, women and girls through commercial exploitation, is a fundamental violation of their rights. It is a universal and complex problem, which defies both simplistic analysis and easy answers. It encompasses a range of abusers, different forms of abuse, and differs in the type and degree of impact on the victim. Every year, more than 1 million women and children worldwide are reportedly trafficked and sold for a variety of different purposes – many end up in the sex trade. This number comes to nearly 3,000 women and children per day.

Trafficking & HIV/AIDS is an interrelated. Especially women and girls are trafficking for use of sexual industry. Most of trafficking girls would face several physical & sexual abuses. When a girl newly enrolls a sex industry, she tries to safe herself heard & soul, but most of the time they couldn’t free her. Generally the traffickers are not accompanying the women while crossing the border. Therefore, it is difficult for the border police to arrest them. Lack of knowledge of the legal system, no access to the Courts or corruption within the law enforcement services are all cited as factors that severely undermine prevention activities.

Trafficked victim often suffer from a multitude of physical and psychological health problems. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to reproductive health problems in trafficking situations as they have little or no access to reproductive health care. These problems include lack of access to constant rapes, forced abortions and contraceptive use, and other health issues. Women and girls in domestic servitude are subject to rape and other physical abuse, while women and girls in forced sex work suffer increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.

Bangladesh is one of the countries in the world in which the rate of trafficking is very high. Because of the hidden nature of this crime of trafficking, reliable statistics are hard to come out. A survey conducted by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation that the girls forced (trafficking) into the brothels do not want to return to their homes once they are into it for more than one year. Such girls believe they would be victim of social stigma and face discrimination from the society. They also believe, their family would suffer several social taboo, self-respect, and social-dignity.

Traffickers use 20 main points in 16 western districts of Bangladesh near the Indian border. Kushtia district is very safety-point for traffickers; some villages are used as stations for the traffickers. Rajshahi borders of Bidirpur and Premtali are used because there are fewer check points. Jessore border is very popular with traffickers. Some Deserted-house, hut and hotels are used to keep the girls brought from different parts of the country. At least 13 women are being trafficked every day. The Indian Social Welfare Board estimates that there are 500,000 foreign prostitutes in India – 1 percent are from Bangladesh and 2.7% of prostitutes in Calcutta are from Bangladesh. AIDS researcher Mr. Anirudha Alam said, Traffickers were frequently from the country or India, and had links to brothels in India. In some cases parents or relatives sold women and girls into sex industries or trafficker.

A report from Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation that girls prostitutes is mounting, many men believe that having sex with young girls will improve their virility or perhaps even cure a sexually transmitted disease (STDs/HIV) or make them more successful in business. Girls prostitutes as young as teen are thus in high demand. So that, trafficking in Bangladesh exists for the purposes of forced prostitution. Although exact figures on the scope of the problem vary widely, the consensus is that the trafficking problem is growing rapidly.

In order to improve the effectiveness of the HIV/AIDS prevention activities, it is essential to protect human trafficking, as mostly trafficking victim are used commercial sex industry in other geographical area, they stay in there, as like in prison, they have no rights of speak out themselves. They are forced to sexual conduct with multiple partners, but they have no ability to insist upon condom use or safe sex and are vulnerable to HIV/STIs transmission.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

AIDS has become a global crisis. As of the end of 2005, an estimated 42 million people worldwide – 38 million adults and about 3 million children younger than 15 years – were living with HIV/AIDS. Approximately two-thirds of these people live in Sub-Saharan Africa; another 18 percent live in Asia and the Pacific. The pandemic kills millions, destroys families and communities and renders millions of children parentless. It threatens the social and economic fabric of many nations.

It is generally accepted that truck drivers have been and continue to be a main force in the spread of HIV to epidemic proportions. Truck driver’s work long hours on the road and often spend several days in one place clearing customs or resolving mechanical problems.  Seeking entertainment, they turn to sex with women or girls in the prostitution or floating sex workers who are at high risk of being HIV/AID positive and transmitting HIV to the drivers. As a result, the drivers have high rates of HIV. Their highly mobile lifestyle requires a lot of travel. In other stopover town locations they visit other commercial male/female sex workers thereby potentially transmitting the virus. In addition, many of the truck drivers are married and also have girlfriends (commercial sex partner) who are likely to become infected with HIV and become a pool in their local communities.

Truck drivers and commercial sex workers constitute core transmitter populations of HIV/AIDS throughout India. The sexual interactions between these particular groups are conducive to rapid population-wide HIV/AIDS transmission. Other evidence supports the view HIV was introduced to Indian populations with pre-existing patterns of sexual behavior that have long been susceptible to high STI/STDs rates.

Sexual encounters between truck drivers and commercial sex workers are the basis of transmission of HIV in India. While, almost all truck drivers (98%) have heard of HIV/AIDS. The extent of knowledge about specific aspects of HIV/AIDS was less consistent. Correct knowledge of transmission by sexual contact was found in two-third (Bombay). Several studies have attempted to elucidate the percentage of truck drivers who actually do have sex with Commercial sex workers (CSWs) and if so, how often they do. 80% of the truck drivers are frequenting CSW.

Commercial sex workers (CSWs) have sex with different populations of men depending on their class. Some of the CSWs contacts were with regular partners. CSWs tend to be a highly mobile population and one of the main factors placing CSWs in high-risk categories is that they have multiple partners. Usage of condoms is still low among the truck driver population; however, it seems to be increasing. Ever usage of condoms seems to range between 25 and 60 percent. Knowledge surrounding condom use seems to be uneven. 90% of the truck drivers know condoms prevent transmission of HIV, many drivers were not aware of the proper storage techniques nor proper usage.

The classification of the partners of truck drivers is complex and not standardized across studies nor, at times, within studies.  Distinguishing between a casual and regular partner is often ambiguous. Many truck drivers report that they have had large numbers of sexual partners. About one-third of the drivers reported more than 50 lifetime partners. The number of partners in the recent past indicates a driver’s current sexual behavior trend.

A recent survey in Bangladeshi track drivers conduct by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, found that 80% track driver in Bangladesh have no clear concept of HIV or AIDS. But 90% respond it is a deadly disease. India is the second largest HIV/AIDS infected country in the world, more then 5.2 million people are living with AIDS or HIV. India is a neighboring country of Bangladesh, every day many people cross border movement take place both officially and also illegally. Due to reason of that great chance to spread out HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to spread around the world. As per the estimates of United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 39.5 million people were living with HIV in 2006. In this year 4.3 million were newly infected, it has turned a serious global epidemic, virtually all of them in poor or developing countries. The disease has been most devastating in Africa. In some African region over 20% of the population is infected. The epidemic is growing most rapidly among some individual localities, communities, ethnic groups, tribal groups or subpopulations and poor populations. While the spread of HIV/AIDS in Asia has not been as rapid as in Africa we in Asia must not be complacent about the disease. An estimated 8.6 million people were living with HIV in Asia.

Some countries in Asia already have critically high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates and the disease is beginning to get a foothold in some other countries. China and India account for the predominant share of total known cases of infection in the region. Approximately 5.7 million Indian people were living with HIV in 2005, and near about 1.1 million were living with HIV in China at the end of 2005. Cambodia and Myanmar have rates approaching 2 percent of the population. Serious epidemic among men who have sex with man(MSM) are being uncovered in Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam. Already more than one million people have died in this region from HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS is a disease that is not easy to catch. Infections are largely passed on during risky or unprotected sex, either between a man and a woman or a man and a man (MSM). Injecting drug users (IDUs) transmit the virus if they share infected needle and, although it was once a problem, blood transfusions are now screened to make sure they do not contain the virus. Transmission in saliva is virtually impossible. The virus can cross the placenta in HIV positive pregnant mothers but medicines are available that can reduce the chance of the baby being born HIV positive.

The scenario of rural areas in Bangladesh, major population in here depends on agriculture. Since agriculture mostly depends on uncertain monsoon, economic condition of people in general is poor. Lack of non-farm sector activities, high incidence of poverty, lack of employment opportunity and subsequent economic pressure promotes out migration in search of livelihoods. Day-labour migration at large-scale, particularly to different areas of Bangladesh, would contribute to their risk and vulnerability to several STDs or HIV.

The reason of accessibility, injecting/ intravenous drug users and the number of new injectors are increasing all area in Bangladesh. Injecting drug users are not isolated from our society; some of them have sexual partner, some of them sell or buy sex from others, they sell blood. In addition, about 13% of sex workers reported having injecting drugs. This round linkage can potentially spread the epidemic widely to the general population.

Recently, ‘Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallan Foundation’ response to HIV/AIDS has focused mostly on three types of work: community mobilization for prevention through the promotion of fidelity, condom-use and abstinence; advocacy on access to affordable treatments, targeted at medicine producers and international donor organizations; and work to ‘mainstream’ support to AIDS-affected individuals and communities into poverty mitigation work. HIV/AIDS has good relation between poverty and gender inequality. Without decline gender discrimination, poverty, all effort will destroy to prevent HIV/AIDS or sustainable development of this sector.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

Although Bangladesh continues to be a low prevalence area, it is surrounded by high prevalence countries (High prevalence of HIV/AIDS in neighboring India). We however must not adopt a complacent attitude in respect as our country has all the determinants for an explosive outbreak of HIV/AIDS epidemic. Curses of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, proximity of Bangladesh to the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ & high prevalence of STDs, make our country seriously vulnerable. Drug use increases the HIV risk and can start very early-for example, glue-sniffing by youngsters living or working on the streets. The danger of becoming infected with HIV by sharing injecting equipment is well known, and real. Unemployment, slum housing, family fragility, frequent cross-border movement of people, lack of information, unsafe blood transfusion, physical and sexual abuse-that create a “risk environment” of violence for many young people in the region. In addition increased number of migrant workers, unsafe practice in health service, unsafe sex practice etc. movement of population, less use of condom, polygamy, homosexuality, extra-marital relations, further increases the susceptibility.

In Bangladesh, the intravenous drug users (IDU) are the most potential carriers of HIV/AIDS among the vulnerable groups in the country. The fourth round of national HIV and behavioural surveillance report showed that the HIV infection rate among the injection drug users (IDUs) is now 4 per cent, up from 2.5 per cent previously which is just short of the 5 per cent mark of a concentrated epidemic. About 93.4 per cent IDUs in central Bangladesh admitted that they share same syringe while taking drugs. Even they use the same syringe several times for taking drug.

UNCDP estimates that between 500,000 and 1,00,000 people in Bangladesh are addicted to drugs. Although HIV rates are comparatively lower (one per cent) among the sex workers but Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) rates are still quite high (20 per cent) among this group.

On the other hand, brothel-based female sex workers in Bangladesh report the highest turnover of clients than anywhere in Asia (an average of 18.8 clients per week).

Meanwhile, most of the people of country are unaware about the deadly disease. The 1999-2000 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey found that only 31 per cent of married women and 50 per cent of newly married men had heard of AIDS. Over 90 per cent of rickshaw pullers could not identify a single method of HIV prevention.

About 13,000 to 17,000 people are living with the incurable virus in Bangladesh, according to the UNAIDS report 2001.

According to the National AIDS Committee and surveillance team members and experts, the rate is quite alarming as it remains one per cent less than the highest five per cent HIV epidemic index. The rate of HIV/AIDS remains less than one per cent among the other vulnerable groups — truckers, migrant workers, gay, hijras (hermaphrodites), professional blood donors, heroin smokers and, hotel, brothel and street based commercial sex workers.

Bangladesh is bordered with India, the second largest HIV infected country in the world; the country is therefore at high risk for the HIV epidemic, said Morten Giersing, UNICEF’s country representative.

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

In 1987, Pakistan was reported first HIV/AIDS case in Lahore. During the late 1980s and 1990s, it became evident that an increasing number, mostly men, were becoming infected with HIV while living or traveling abroad.

In Pakistan, the intravenous drug users (IDU) are the most potential carriers of HIV/AIDS among the vulnerable groups in the country, high HIV infection levels among groups of IDUs could cross over into other populations, including male and female sex workers. In Larkana, 8% of injecting drug users were HIV-infected in 2005, as were at least 6% in Faisalabad, Lahore, Sargodha and Sialkot, where a majority of injecting drug users were either married or sexually active. In Karachi, 26% of injecting drug users participating in a 2005 study were found to be HIV-infected. The majority of infected drug users had one risk factor in common: they used non-sterile injecting equipment. Even the most basic elements of effective harm reduction are lacking. Only one half of the injecting drug users taking part in a study in Karachi and Rawalpindi, for example, knew that HIV could be transmitted through using unclean needles—and as many of them said they had used non-sterile injecting equipment in the previous month.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation’s reveal extremely high levels of infections among adolescent girls, which are higher than those for boys. This is mainly because of the fact that at young age, boys have sex with girls of similar age, while girls have relations with older men, who are more likely to be infected. Sexual harassment of schoolgirls by older men sometime may be the cause of HIV infection. Poverty also drives many adolescent girls to accept relationships with ‘sugar daddies’ (older men who are prepared to give money, goods or favors in return for sex).

The presence of significant risk factors such as the very low use of condoms among vulnerable populations including female sex workers, men who have sex with men, as well as the low use of sterile syringes among injecting drug users. In addition increased number of migrant workers, unsafe practice in health service, unsafe sex practice etc. movement of population, less use of condom, polygamy, homosexuality, extra-marital relations, further increases the susceptibility.

Commercial female sex workers don’t use condom regularly. Fewer than one in five female sex workers—and one in 20 of their male counterparts—in Karachi and Rawalpindi said they had consistently used condoms during the previous month. In an earlier study in Karachi, one in four sex workers could not recognize a condom. In addition, a 2005 study has confirmed that HIV transmission is occurring within the sexual networks of male and eunuch (hijra) sex workers in Karachi. The study found 7% of the male sex workers and 2% of the hijras were HIV-infected. In another study in Karachi, 4% of male sex workers and 2% of hijras tested positive. Very high levels of other sexually transmitted infections indicate widespread sexual risk-taking. In the latter study, 23% of the male sex workers had syphilis and 36% had gonor­rhoea, while among the hijras, 62% had syphilis and 29% gonorrhoea. Indeed, only 4% of male sex workers and less than 1% of the hijras said they used a condom the last time they had sex with a man. Also of note is the finding that one in four of the male sex workers said they also bought or sold sex to women. Such high-risk behaviour must be addressed in order to limit the further spread of HIV in and beyond those sexual networks.

There are several social components link to develop this harmful situation, these reasons due to increase HIV-AIDS in Pakistan, such as (i) lack of political will due to lack of advocacy among the political leaders and the bureaucracy, (ii) inadequate data due to limited surveillance (iii) lack of awareness in the rural areas (iv) no clear policy on care and support of affected individuals and the management of full blown cases and (v) no proper training for all medical/paramedical faculties and the non medical field workers. The majority of the program activities were concentrated in the urban areas.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

The connection of HIV/AIDS with humanitarian crises is creating troubling new problems for all over the world. By the end of 2006, about more or less 39.5 million people worldwide were livings with HIV/AIDS, 90% of them in poor and developing countries. During 2006 alone, a total of 4.3 million adults and children were found to be newly infected with HIV, and in the same year, 2.9 million people died from HIV/AIDS – 85% of them Africans. In two decades, AIDS has killed almost 30 million people and orphaned over 14 million children.

Social conflict, violence, political situation, Gender discrimination, poverty, women trafficking, early marriage, domestic and sexual violence, exploitation of sex workers, nutrition status, transmission of other STDs, intravenous/ injection drug abuse are among the socio-cultural factors, traditional social values linked to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Behaviors of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Bangladesh place them at very high risk for HIV infection. Currently 8.9% of people registered with HIV/AIDS infected the virus through injecting drug use in the central area.

The Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation survey focuses on the attitude, behavior and practice of commercial & non- commercial / casual sex workers (so-called sex workers), floating/ street sex workers in Dhaka city in Bangladesh, this study did point out that almost 16% of sex workers enter the profession before the age of 18 years, and 30% enter between 18 to 24 years of age. Approximately 10% of prostitutes belong to the scheduled castes minority people; about 90% floating sew workers enrolled due to poverty.

Though, poverty does not the major cause HIV/AIDS infection; it can facilitate transmission, Poverty makes people more vulnerable to HIV infection, due to lack of health care knowledge, lack of proper digest, and lack of sufficient nutrition, which can result in a weaker immune system. They also have less access to healthcare facilities and education on health issues such as HIV prevention. Sequentially, the epidemic amplifies and become deeper poverty by its serious economic impact on individuals, households and different sectors of the economy. Poverty is the reason why messages of prevention and control do not make an impact on a vast majority of the vulnerable population. So it is fact, poverty & gender discrimination would be the one of the main cause of the spread of AIDS in Bangladesh, The rate of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is our country is higher then the many parts of the world.

Human trafficking, often qualified as the ‘modern day slavery’, is caused by human rights violations embodied in poverty while it also contributes to increased deprivation. Poverty is one of the main factors leading people, especially women, girls and children to fall preys to the traffickers.

Poverty, Gender discrimination and Human Trafficking and HIV/AIDS are correlated. In turn, human trafficking locks up the trafficked persons in poverty through exploitation. This vicious circle ‘poverty – human trafficking – HIV/AIDS’ denies individuals the basic right to education and information, the right to health, the right to decent work, the right to security and justice. Mr. Anirudha Alam, assistant Director of BEES said, poverty effects and is aggravated by poor maternal health, gender inequity, and lack of birth control knowledge and contraceptive methods. This holistic view has helped slow the increase in world population. This circle is making more vulnerable of humankind.

Bangladesh is developing country, the common feature in rural areas is very poor, and most of them live on agro-base works, poverty and illiteracy is ordinary fact in here. Incidentally, in general health care system is very poor in Bangladesh. Thousands of people die in every year by several seasonal diseases. Particular health care or prevention knowledge would prevent this fatal mortality. Rural women, in generally have less access to information and education and are therefore less able to make an informed response to the disease.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

Worldwide, rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescents are soaring: one-third of the 340 million new STDs/STI each year occur in people under 25 years of age. Each yearly, more than one in every 20 adolescents contracts a curable STDs/STI. More than half of all new HIV infections occur in people between the ages of 15 to 24 years. The sexual health needs for adolescent girls are generally overlooked, Stigma and vulnerability affects particular groups of men as well as women. Although men generally have more access to information on sexual issues than women, and more decision-making power regarding sexual behavior, Access to information, and treatment for other infections which facilitate the transmission of HIV and onset of AIDS, including STDs/STI, are limited because of weak public health services, health workers’ negative attitudes, and the high cost of treatment.

Adolescent girls in poor families in Bangladesh, most of whom are out-of-school, comprise a sizeable proportion of the female population. They are especially vulnerable and neglected, coming under the purview of government programs only once they are pregnant- the majorities are out of school and are neither serviced by educational or school health programs nor by child health, reproductive health and nutrition services. At the family level too, girls are highly vulnerable: male child preference is pervasive, resulting in gender inequality in health care, food intake, school attendance and labor contribution of children, from an early age.

In generally, Bangladeshi women or girls are basically getting sexual experience through marriage and for the most part, premarital sexual contact is mostly confined to their future husband or lovers. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation found, sexual behaviour among Bangladeshi women is changing. Adolescent girls may not remain in the traditional sexual confinement of the previous generations and casual sex among them is on the rise. This may encourage AIDS to acquire alarming proportions in Bangladesh.

A new strategy apply some reprobate people a very recent that several college or university girls are being enrolled into providing privately sex works (Residential sex work) through blackmail methods often by taking their nude photograph or short movie by digital hidden mini camera, when they engage consensual sex work or close entertainment with their lovers or friend and threatening them that the photos or movies would be published in poster form if they do not agree to their terms and conditions.

There are also several groups of adolescent people with increased vulnerability for HIV transmission because of their social status. Among the growing number of street children or street girls, the risk of infection is exacerbated due to a high prevalence of risky sexual behaviors and injecting drug use. Although the growing public awareness of the existence of the HIV crisis, the actual knowledge of the problem is superficial, particularly among adolescents. Their understanding of the modes of transmission and prevention methods is incomplete and often misconstrued. Recent research in North region’s three districts in Bangladesh by jointly Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has shown that while provide HIV information with discussions of safe-sex and gender issue may be discouraged for young girls and women because of the ordinary belief that to inform them about sexuality and safe-sex is to encourage sexual activity. Even though that for fear of encouraging sexual activity, mothers deny imperative information about sexual-live, safe sex, reproductive health information from their daughters.

HIV/AIDS is a deadly disease, but also everybody can safe from it. Everyone can protect from HIV infection by making smart decisions about sex and drugs. Some things are very risky to do, some less risky, and some are 100 percent safe. Obviously, the surest way to avoid the virus is to choose not to have sexual intercourse – vaginal, oral, or anal – and not to use illegal drugs. By the way, what is therefore urgently required for adolescents are programs/ activities which help deal with they’re own well-being, their health, their bodies and their sexual lives. This is particularly important in light of the HIV pandemic and in light of growing evidence of both ignorance in sexual matters on the one hand and considerable sexual activity among young unmarried people in the other.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, UNAIDS, CARE, UNICEF

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

Worldwide, rates of sexually transmitted infections among young people are soaring: one-third of the 340 million new STIs each year occur in people under 25 years of age. Each year, more than one in every 20 adolescents contracts a curable STI. More than half of all new HIV infections occur in people between the ages of 15 to 24 years. The sexual health needs for adolescent girls are generally overlooked, Stigma and vulnerability affects particular groups of men as well as women. Although men generally have more access to information on sexual issues than women, and more decision-making power regarding sexual behavior, Access to information, and treatment for other infections which facilitate the transmission of HIV and onset of AIDS, including sexually transmitted infections, are limited because of weak public health services, health workers’ negative attitudes, and the high cost of treatment.

If the adolescents are informed and thought about their sexual and reproductive health, they might take the decisions about it independently.  But the physiological, behavioral and social factors that make adolescents more vulnerable than adults to STDs/STI. Seeing that girls have a large mucosal surface area exposed to infection and have not yet developed mature mucosal defence systems, the cells that line the opening of the cervix are particularly susceptible to chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.

Social powerlessness, poverty and economic dependence contribute to the vulnerability of adolescent girls. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been fuelled by gender inequality. Unequal power relations, sexual coercion and violence is a widespread phenomenon faced by women of all age-groups, and has an array of negative effects on female sexual, physical and mental health. HIV/AIDS infection reveals the disastrous effects of discrimination against women on human health, and on the socio-economic structure of society.

Usually, girls do not have the same educational and employment opportunities as boys, and they face family and societal forces for early marriage and childbearing. Early marriage and early childbearing are the norm in Bangladesh, although age at marriage is rising in all the countries mentioned. Finally, there is evidence that an increasing proportion of unmarried adolescents are sexually active.

Now a day, age at marriage is increasing, and this raises its own issues and concerns. Sometimes Later marriage increases premarital sex. Sex outside marriage is normally considered immoral and adolescents who engage in it particularly girls are strongly condemned.

In many societies, people from groups associated with high incidences of HIV infection – including injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, and commercial sex workers are subjected to a culture of fear and punishment when their HIV status is suspected.

Source: Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation

-Mohammad Khairul Alam-

-Executive Director-

-Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation-

rainbowngo@gmail.com

Acquired Immune Defiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a viral Sexual Transmission Diseases (STDs) which threatens life expectancy and, with it, development, social cohesion, political stability and food security. It imposes a devastating economic burden on countries. It affects everyone in both developed and less develops countries. It is not a disease of poverty. It is not individual problem. But the epidemic does push people deeper into poverty, making it more difficult for them to sustain or recover their earlier livelihoods. That, in turn, can make people and their families more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection.

In Bangladesh, commercial female sex workers (CSWs) are among the most vulnerable groups. Certainly, young women’ prostitution is mounting in Bangladesh. Young women engage or are forced into prostitution for trafficking or socio-economic reasons. Most of them CSWs are the age of teen and illiterate. Their profession exposes them to tremendous risk and increases the likelihood of their partners/customers also being infected. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation carried out a recent field investigation, the research confirmed that adolescent girls’ prostitution is widespread in Bangladesh, although hidden at first sight from foreigners, especially in Dhaka city. Adolescent girls involved in prostitution are to be found in residence homes converted into brothels or in hotels. The majority are aged 15-18.

Sharing injecting equipment is other most effective ways of spreading an HIV/AIDS epidemic. Studies in several regions in Bangladesh have shown that there is no shortage of risky behaviour among injection drug users (IDUs). This is due to the fact that injection drug use is usually illegal and a socially difficult issue, but also to the widespread perception that HIV/AIDS epidemics among drug users are “impartial”.

In addition to transmission through the sharing of injection equipment, injecting drug users can also transmit HIV/AIDS to their sexual partners. Indeed, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation research had shown sexual links between drug users and other communities. In the first place, male and female injection drug users (IDUs) sometimes sell sex, and some male IDUs are regular clients of commercial female sex workers. If these individuals are infected with HIV/AIDS while sharing needles with other IDUs, there is every chance that they will go on to infect sex workers who in turn may infect clients who have nothing to do with the world of Injection Drugs.

AIDS in Bangladesh therefore depends on the conditions in the commercial sex business, including the frequency of the incidents of men visiting female sex workers. Providing clean needles is also considered important because it decreases the spread of HIV from injection drug users (IDUs). It is also important to bring a behavioural change among commercial sex workers (CSWs) by promoting the use of condom.

Despite the growing public awareness of the existence of the HIV crisis, the actual knowledge of the problem is superficial, particularly vulnerable groups. Their understanding of the modes of transmission and prevention methods is incomplete and often misconstrued. This low level of understanding handicaps positive behavioral changes to prevent infection.