APNSW hosts event in Bangkok

A four-member team from Bangladesh participated in the Bangkok meeting, comprising representatives from the government, the trade union movement and HARC.

The Asia Pacific Network of Service Workers (APNSW) organized the meeting from July 20 and July 21 in Bangkok, Thailand, said the organisation in a statement on Saturday.

APNSW is implementing a project in four countries of Asia – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos and Myanmar - called Amplifying the Voices of Sex Workers in Asia.

Bangladesh lawmaker MA Matin joined the meeting that discussed about the several important issues, including violence, stigma, discrimination, punitive laws and policies against sex workers in four countries—Bangladesh, Laos, Indonesia and Maynmer.

The lawmaker said that the current government is paying more attention to marginalized communities, including sex workers.

Violence against sex workers has reduced a lot and that the government is working to reduce it, he said.

During the Covid-19 crisis the government supported 7,000 sex workers directly, while NGOs have supported many others, according to him.

The government is committed to improve the quality of life of sex workers in many different ways, in particular helping to improve their health, said Matin.

He said the government, stakeholders, decision makers and NGOs should work together to solve all the challenges faced by sex workers.