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Economics and Development

Economics and Development

Although it is well accepted that sex work and poverty, stigma and inequality are linked, too often simplistic assumptions about these factors lead to ineffective, and even harmful, programmes and policies. PLRI aims to establish broader understandings of the economics of sex work and relate them to the challenges of optimising the benefits of economic programs and policies on development, human rights and public health outcomes. We are also committed to helping establish broader understandings of the economics of the sex sector, the demand for, and supply of, commercial sex; the factors that determine prices and behaviours within sex industries, the economic re-distributional effects of commercial sex and the impact of economic trends on people that buy, sell or trade sexual services. To achieve this PLRI research will analyse sex work economies as they relate to social protection, livelihoods strengthening and equitable development policy and programming.

Resources

  • A right to be: A film about sex work in the Caribbean - 2010

    A film from the Caribbean Treatment Action Group and the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition about the problems faced by sex workers in the Caribbean. There is a focus on migrant workers, HIV, abuse from the state, stigma and discrimination from the community and efforts to overcome them.

  • Acceptability of a Microenterprise Intervention Among Female Sex Workers in Chennai, India - 2010

    This research  evaluated changes in HIV risk taking as a result of sex workers sewing hessian bags in India. "Intervention participants reported a significantly lower number of sex partners and significant increases in income at the 6-month follow-up compared to control participants. In a multivariate model, intervention participants had a significantly lower number of paying clients per month at follow-up compared to control participants.

  • Bangladesh prostitutes win job title identity ruling - 2010

    This is a story by Anbarasan Ethirajan which was featured on the BBC News website on the 17 August 2010.

  • Beyond the red light - 2010

    This news story by Joeanna Rebello was published in the Times of India on the 16 January 2009.

  • Children of sex workers get a helping hand in India - 2010

    A news story by Manipadma Jena featured on newsroomjersey.com on the 17 February 2010. The story explains the difficulties that the children of sex workers face in India, particularly their exclusion from the mainstream school system because of sex work related stigma and discrimination. It outlines how the Durbar Women's Collaborative Committee, with assistance from their children, have countered this problem through the establishment of alternative schools and centres where older children can learn vocational skills.

  • En la Calle: sex work in Quito - 2010

     A blog by Anna Wilkins an anthropologist working in Quito. 

  • News interview with sex workers in Uganda - 2010

    This news interview features members of the Network of Sex Work Projects. They describe the challenges that they face in Uganda and the way that they are subject to stigma and discrimination and excluded from development policy and plans.

  • Poll reveals details of Bogota's prostitution business - 2010

    A news story by Daniel Brody in the Columbia Reports. The story outlines the findings of an opinion survey of sex workers and their clients in Bogota which was taken by the Mayor's Office. There is no link to the original source so we cannot comment on the accuracy of the reporting or the methods used.

  • Prostitutes Increase Rates Per Sexual Round - 2010

    A news story from the The Accra Times on the 18 February 2010. The piece explains how the sex workers' union have decided to increase prices in response to the increased cost of living. The union also complains about the environment in which they are working and how it poses health risks.

  • RIGHTS-BURMA: For Sex Workers, A Life of Risks - 2010

    A news story by Mon Mon Myat on the australia.to website which explores the situation of older sex workers in Burma.