HIV/AIDS – A Challenge for Human Development
Wednesday, December 17th, 2008Acquired 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”.