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The Role of Safe Home in Accessing Education for the Children of Sex Workers
in Bangladesh
Article · April 2022
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APJFES Vol. 1 No. 1 2022 pp. 77–95
eISSN 2811-3586
The Role of Safe Home in Accessing Education for the Children

of Sex Workers in Bangladesh
Tasnim Jannat* and Hema Letchamanan
Taylor’s University, Malaysia
© The Author(s) 2022. This article is published with open access by Taylor’s Press.
Abstract: The children of sex workers are vulnerable because they face multiple forms of
exploitation such as human trafficking, child labor including sexual exploitation and being forced
into criminal activities as well as lack of access to education, and a safe place for shelter. This
study identifies the challenges children of sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh face in accessing
education. It also explores the role of the safe home in responding to the educational needs of
these children. A qualitative research methodology was employed in this exploratory study. Semi-
structured interviews were conducted with 12 children of sex workers aged 6-17 years who live in
a safe home and the person who runs the safe home. Findings from this study show that not all
children living in the safe home attend schools or learning centers At the time of the interview, it
was found that a few of these children have gotten married. They were aged between 13 and 17.
Girls are more vulnerable because there is a higher risk of them being coerced, usually by their
mothers, into sex work. Children of sex workers also often do not have the necessary documents
needed to enroll in school or these documents do not include the name of the father. This becomes
a hindrance in registering for a place in school. It is also one of the reasons the children get bullied
or isolated, which leads to them not attending school or dropping out. In light of these findings,
the study suggests that the safe home plays a crucial role in the development of these children,
including their education, and provides a safe space for the children to grow.
Keywords: Access to education, Bangladesh, children of sex workers, educational needs, safe
home
Suggested citation: Jannat, T., & Letchamanan, H. (2022). The role of safe home in accessing
education for the children of sex workers in Bangladesh. Asia-Pacific Journal of Futures in
Education and Society, 1(1), 77–95.
*Correspondence: Tasnim Jannat, Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Email: tasnim.jannat23@gmail.com
APJFES Vol. 1 No. 1 2022

78 Tasnim Jannat and Hema Letchamanan
Introduction
Bangladesh is a developing country with strong cultural norms and strict religious bindings
that restricts sex workers’ access to social and public services, thus limiting their mobility
and income-generating activities (Shohel, 2013). Article 18(2) of the constitution of
Bangladesh states that “preventive measures can be taken against prostitution” (The
Dhaka Law Report, 2001). The Article further states that staying in brothels is illegal and
unconstitutional. However, in a landmark ruling in 2000, the Bangladesh High Court
legalised sex work as a form of livelihood (Wright & Saeed, 2020).
However, because of other existing discriminatory laws such as the Penal Code
2901, sex workers and their children remain in a vulnerable situation. The prevalent
social stigma has led them to be further marginalised, which has hindered the
provision of education for children of sex workers.
In Bangladesh, poverty has pushed many women into prostitution to support
their families (Alam & Das, 2014). Sex work in Bangladesh is mostly based in
brothels, but there are also street and floating sex workers who solicit customers at
railway and bus stations, parks, streets, and rented flats. Girls from poor families
are often sold to brothels because the families do not have the financial means to
raise them or to get them married when they are older. The children of sex workers
face discrimination and humiliation throughout their lives (Bolivar, 2017). Their
surroundings and economic situation are considered to be the main factors that force
these children into the sex trade and exploitation (UNICEF, 2005).
Pardeshi and Bhattacharya (2006) researched a total of 60 sex workers in India, of
whom 49 have faced one or more pregnancies. Initially, the sex workers did not want
to continue their pregnancy but eventually, they went ahead because they wanted to
have children as a source of support and security for their future. Most sex workers
dream about their children’s bright future but because of the prevalent social stigma,
they are often unable to provide education to their children. Although the children of
sex workers face a high risk of physical abuse, violence, sexually transmitted disease,
and are involved in crime from a very early age, they often dream about rescuing
their mothers from sex work (Shohel, 2013). However, they often face harassment
and bullying which leads them to not go to school or drop out of school.
The Context
The population of female sex workers in Bangladesh is approximately 100,000
(Karim, 2020). The study revealed that a brothel-based sex worker earns 100BDT
1
Penal Code 290 limits sex work to be confined to registered brothels. This marginalises street and
floating sex workers and further puts them in a vulnerable situation.

The Role of Safe Home in Accessing Education for 79
the Children of Sex Workers in Bangladesh
(1.17 USD) to 500BDT (5.86 USD) per day whereas the floating and street sex
workers earn a comparatively lower wage than brothel-based sex workers, less than
100BDT (Billah, 2012). They often live hand to mouth. Billah and Baroi (2012)
revealed that every year in Bangladesh, there are almost 13,000 children who are
born to the street and floating sex workers, and more than 20,000 children are born
to sex workers who live in registered brothels. Children of sex workers grow up facing
an identity crisis and social stigma which places them in situations where they are
often denied every basic human right (Davis & Hopwood, 2002).
Shohel (2013) highlighted that providing education is a way to bring back
children of sex workers to the mainstream society, but also stated that there are very
few of them who get access to formal education. Many who are not able to complete
their education become involved in their mother’s profession.
The Bangladeshi government is committed to ensuring free primary education
and has launched a nationwide primary educational program for all children (Al
Mamun & Akhter, 2019). For example, the Food for Education programme where
a free monthly ration is provided to underprivileged children if they attend school
(Meng & Ryan, 2007). The government of Bangladesh also promotes girls' education
by giving stipends and waivers (Sosale et al., 2019). However, most children of sex
workers are always excluded from these initiatives due to several reasons. Firstly,
they do not have proper documentation such as birth certificates, which hinders
them from accessing government services including free education. There is also the
prevading fear of approaching any authorities, including education officers, due to
the risk of being arrested. This deep-seated fear of authorities is felt by both sex
workers and their children (Willis et al., 2013). Besides these, the prevalent social
stigma attached to the children of sex workers including not having a father’s name
also contributes to them not enrolling in schools to avoid getting bullied or harassed
or being refused by the school authorities to be admitted in the school.
Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises “education”
as a human right (United Nations, 1948) and has since taken many initiatives to
develop every child’s life through education. However, not every child has access to
education, especially quality education. This includes the children of sex workers.
They are often excluded not only in education but also from other basic human rights
including healthcare and housing (Shohel, 2013). Currently, in Bangladesh, some
organisations have started safe homes to give this vulnerable group of children the
required support needed to help them achieve their full potential (Save the Children
Bangladesh, 2015). This study identifies the role of safe homes in responding to the
educational needs of the children of sex workers in Bangladesh.

Research Problem & Objective

UNICEF published a report in 2019 on educational strategies 2019-2030 for children
who are affected by humanitarian reasons and also for children who are considered
the most marginalised group in society. The report discusses gender norms, gender
inequality, refugee children, children with disabilities, and children who live under the
poverty line. However, there is no mention of children of sex workers in this report,
even though they form a part of the most marginalised children group in society.
This points to the children of sex workers being overlooked in local and international
agendas on education for children from vulnerable and at-risk populations.
No systematic studies to date have been conducted on the safe homes in
Bangladesh, despite it playing a crucial role in the lives of these children. Most of the
safe homes are located in the Daulatdia union in Bangladesh because Daulatdia is
the largest brothel in Bangladesh and one of the largest in the world. But very little
information is available about similar safe homes for these children in other cities.
This study explores the role of the safe home in responding to the educational
needs of children of sex workers. And to do so, it needs to first determine the
educational needs of children of sex workers.
The study was conducted to answer the following questions regarding access to
education amongst sex workers’ children:
1. What are the educational needs of children of sex workers in Bangladesh?
2. How does the safe home respond to the educational needs of the children of sex
workers in Bangladesh?
Literature Review
Religious beliefs, social stigma, and poor economic conditions are some of the main
reasons that hinder children from accessing education. Among all the vulnerable
groups of children, many researchers found that the children of sex workers face the
most discrimination and humiliation as a result of their mother’s profession (Bolivar,
2017; Adhikari, 2013; Boittin, 2013). Studies show that most of the time, the
educational decisions of the children of sex workers are made by the brothel owners
or the community where the sex workers belong (Waring, 2000). According to a
survey done on the livelihood of sex workers in Bangladesh, mothers fail to provide
secure housing for their children which often leads them to leave their children in
the hands of their peers or neighbors where the children face physical and sexual
abuse (Khan et al. 2008). In addition, most of the children of sex workers are forced
into the sex trade by their own families to support their lives (Waring, 2000). People
tend to assume that this cycle is fixed due to a lack of income, but a study by Moran
and Farley (2019 ) revealed that it is attributed instead by the fixed perceptions of
societies which are imposed on the sex workers and their children (Sircar & Dutta,

2011). In other words, the stigma placed on the sex workers and their children often
deprives them of pursuing education.
Many countries such as India, Canada, and Zambia have addressed the obstacles
that children of sex workers face in getting access to formal education and have
taken the necessary measures to give them access to formal education (Chauhan,
2019; Dutt et al., 2017; Duff et al., 2015; Billah & Baroi, 2012). Beard et al. (2010)
reported that some 18 organisations are working in low and middle-income countries
to provide access to education and create a safe livelihood for children of sex workers.
These organisations often face difficulties in monitoring the children because family
members may push the child into prostitution. In their study in Pune and Delhi,
India, Dutt et al. (2017) found that eventually the sex workers’ boys get involved in
criminal activities, while the girls become embroiled in sex work. This situation is
also similar to children of sex workers in Bangladesh.
To ensure the safety of women and children from vulnerable populations, the
Bangladesh government has established safe homes for them. To date, there are seven
governmental safe homes established by the Ministry of Social Welfare in six cities
in Bangladesh (Ministry of Social Welfare, 2021). However, more in-depth studies
need to be done to understand the living conditions, safety, and environment of
these safe homes.
Studies on sex workers in Bangladesh, thus far, have mainly focused on physical
and mental health, violence, living standards, and how they experience poverty
(Chakrabarti et al., 2020). Not many systematic studies have looked at the education
of children of sex workers (Beard et al., 2010; Shohel, 2013). In 1993, one non-
governmental organisation (NGO) started a preschool in Daulatdia brothel2 to
provide education for children of sex workers. However, when this NGO tried to
enroll the children into a public school, the school authorities, teachers, parents, and
their children refused to allow them into the school (Shoji & Tsubota, 2021; Shohel,
2013). This situation is similar for children living in all brothels. In a study done
by Willis et al. (2013), they found that the children of sex workers in Bangladesh
often witnessed police brutality on their mothers, which is the main cause of their
fear seeking their basic needs such as food, shelter, and education. In this regard,
Alam and Hussain (2013) suggested some strategies that should be adopted by the
social workers working with children of sex workers, such as being self-reliant, giving
education opportunities to the children, ensuring basic human rights, providing equal
facilities to boys and girls, and creating employment opportunities to overcome the
problems faced by these children in Bangladesh. Drawing from existing literature,
2
Daulatdia brothel is located in Rajbari District, Bangladesh. It is the largest brothel in Bangladesh
and one of the largest in the world.

Shohel (2013) presented an overview of the accessibility to formal education for

children of sex workers and that is in a developing country like Bangladesh that
fights to sustain a huge population, it is not an easy task to provide education to
these marginalised children. Thus, forming different kinds of learning centers and
NGOs to support these children of sex workers is certainly a challenging effort for
Bangladesh.
Theoretical Framework
In this study, Abraham Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs has been used to study
the needs of children of sex workers. Researchers have examined how inequalities
are reflected based on the fulfillment of the basic needs of the people (Nain, 2013).
Levine (2017), in his study on the children of sex workers, found that the inability
to access basic needs often causes them to experience low levels of self-esteem. This
may lead them to engage in criminal activities, drug abuse, and violence.
Figure 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Adapted from Maslow, 1943)
Maslow (1943) believed that the fulfilment of needs — in the correct order
—would allow individuals to become self-actualised, fully able people. Therefore
only after the basic physiological needs such as food, shelter, warmth are met, can
individuals move on to the next stages; the need to feel secure, to be loved and
accepted, etc. According to Maslow (1943), the main requirements for human
survival are physiological which include: shelter, food, clothing, and sleep. Once
these needs are fulfilled, it then motivates people to go to the next level which is

security and safety and this includes home, school, and the surroundings they are
regularly a part of (Kurt, 2021). Safety usually is an external environmental issue in
which the person can be unsure about their home or school environment or even
any external environment they are trying to be part of. A threat at any one of these
environments or being unsure of that environment can hamper their life or can
simply put their future life in danger (Tucker, 2011). In discussing the children of
sex workers, it is apparent that these children always face challenges when it comes to
their basic needs being fulfilled. This includes having a safe and secure home (Bruhns
et al., 2018). Without a doubt, the brothels where the children live are unsafe for
them as they are often physically and mentally abused there.
To motivate one to change their environment or to do something good, people
always need some kind of power to motivate them (Nain, 2013). This can be a dream
to become something or it can be to change the existing life of a person. But to do
so, a person needs to feel loved, and needs support from the people they love. In
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, love and a sense of belonging comes after safety (Nain,
2013). For children of sex workers, this is also an important factor for their growth
and development. It is a well-documented fact that the home and the society these
children belong to have often, if not always, pushed them away rather than showing
them love, affection, and acceptance (Bruhns et al., 2018). Because of their mother’s
profession, they are often marked or labeled in a certain way where society assumes
the worst about them. Therefore for them to do well, there is a need to first break
these boundaries. Their physiological needs and psychological needs must be met
before they can move forward. According to Maslow (1943), the need for respect is
essential for children and adolescents to achieve positive outcomes.
Finally, the highest level is self-actualisation, which is associated with the concept
of “being a survivor” (Bruhns et al., 2018). When the children of sex workers meet
all the four levels of needs, they may receive the formal education, leading them to
go to school. Once they complete school, this need may continue to push them to
higher education or a respectful job.
It is essential to understand that there are prerequisites that need to be fulfilled
before or provided in parallel for children to be able to learn. Based on Maslow’s
model, if the children of sex workers experience any threat or risk to fulfill their basic
needs, these children will not be able to achieve their full potential.
Methodology
This study identifies the challenges in access to education for children of sex workers
in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It also explores their educational needs and how a safe home
responds to these educational needs. A qualitative research methodology was
employed in this exploratory study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with

twelve children of sex workers who live in a safe home and the person who runs the
safe home. A purposive sampling method was used to select participants for this
study. This study explores the following questions:
1. What are the educational needs of children of sex workers in Bangladesh?
2. How does the safe home respond to the educational needs of the children of sex
workers in Bangladesh?
Ethical Considerations
In this study, the researchers maintained careful consideration to not manipulate and
influence the children (Caretta & Pérez, 2019). First, the study was approved by the
Human Ethics Committee at Taylor’s University. Before conducting the interviews,
the researchers provided the consent form to the participants. As this study was
conducted in Bangladesh, the researcher provided the consent form in Bangla so that
all the participants can understand fully the research. In this research context, child
protection needs to be considered as a sensitive issue. Thus, the researcher addressed
the issues carefully and used the appropriate method to maintain the children’s
confidentiality.
To ensure confidentiality which is an important ethical consideration, the
researcher used pseudonyms for the participants rather than their real names which
may violate their personal information. Secondly, all the audiotapes and videos of
interviews were stored in a password-protected laptop that only the researcher has
access to. Lastly, before the interviews, the researchers provided all the participants
with an information letter where all the information including the nature of the
study, and the freedom to refuse the interview were all discussed.
Findings
The study found that the children of sex workers have specific educational needs
as their home environment is often not safe and they face a prevailing social
stigma. This situation hinders them from obtaining neither formal nor non-formal
education. Based on the stories from the participants, different themes emerged,
and the researcher obtained new insights into the role of the safe home to fulfill
the educational needs of these children with evidence supporting Maslow's (1943)
Hierarchy of Needs model. Most of the themes and sub-themes are connected with
Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs model and how this model coincides with the
findings of this study will be discussed next.

Physiological Needs
Safe home
The safe home where this study was conducted was established by a former sex
worker called Mahira3. She is known to the children as Ammu4. The safe home
serves as a halfway home for underprivileged children, especially the children of sex
workers. The main function of a safe home is to provide shelter and give other basic
requirements to children, and also enable a supportive environment to fulfill their
needs (Matin, 2021). This safe home began operating in 2010 with 12 to 20 children
of sex workers. With the help of some individuals, she had rented a four-room flat
in a 3-story building in an area near a brothel in Dhaka. Since 2010, Mahira has
provided shelter to more than 1,000 children of sex workers. At the time of the study,
45 children were staying in this safe home.
Mahira explained that this safe home not only provides accommodation but
also provides practical learning and education for the children. The children go to
this safe home after they return from their learning center or school. Many of them
choose to remain at the safe home overnight and only return to their mothers over
the weekends. The safe home follows a strict routine to establish discipline. It aims
to ensure the overall development of these children by especially focusing on their
education and religion so that they can understand the value of their basic rights as
well as their lives.
One 17-year-old girl Asma explained how all the children of this safe home
wake up early in the morning. After waking up, they will shower. It is compulsory
to read the Quran in the morning. For that, a “Hujur5” comes to teach the children
the Quran. Mahira explained:
“I worked in so many brothels as a sex worker. In every brothel, I noticed

that the children of sex workers are not allowed to enter the mosque or temple.
Also, they are not allowed to touch any religious text. That’s why in my safe
home I have arranged to read the “Quran” for the children. So that they can
get the knowledge of Islam.”
During the interview, the researcher observed that all the children greeted the
researcher with salam before starting the interview. One 15-year-old girl Saika told:
3
Pseudonym is used for participants to protect their identity.
4
Ammu is a Bengali word for mother.
5
Hujur is Bengali word for religious teacher, especially one who teaches Quran.

“Ammu always told us that by giving salam, we can build a relationship with
other people and also it helps to remove hostility from peoples’ heart and they
will also give us love and respect.”
In Bangladesh, religious doctrines influence society which creates social ostracism

against sex workers and their children. These marginalised groups of people are
always considered “dirty” (Wong et al., 2011). On the other hand, the religious text
is considered the holiest, so the children of sex workers are always prohibited from
touching the religious texts.
In this safe home, Mahira tries to fulfill the basic physiological needs—such as
food, shelter, and warmth so that the children can move on to the next stages. So the
theme “Children’s safe home” is one of the larger themes which coincide with the
initial layer of Maslow's (1943) Hierarchy of Needs model. The unpredictable lives
of the children of sex workers before they landed in the safe home was so terrible that
it had affected these children’s development.
Safety
Mahira explained that the main purpose of this safe home is to ensure the children’s
safety as there are many cases of kidnapping and abuse of these children at the
brothel. Besides that, when their mothers are working, they usually keep their
younger children hidden under the bed or behind the curtain. Mahira lamented, “I
used to feel frustrated when I see how the mothers had to continue their work while their
children were beside her.”
One 17-year-old girl from the safe home described it positively by saying:
“I feel blessed because I am staying here. When I grow up I also want to be a

social worker. Because I want to be like Ammu. Ammu always told us how
education can change our lives. If we want to change our lives, first we need
to educate ourselves.”
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other individuals provide essential

educational materials or sessions to the children of sex workers in this safe home.
Mahira describes how she tries to provide a safe environment for all the children.
The children know that they can stay in this safe home as long they want to. However,
the boys in this safe home are only allowed to stay until they reach 18. During the
interviews, it came to light that most of the children especially the girls are more
vulnerable. Sadly, some mothers had left their children in a safe home for a while,
but when the children had received education and everything else, these mothers
took their children away and pushed them into their profession so that they can get

more money. There had been a lot of cases where mothers took away their children
and pushed them into their profession.
Love and Belongings

Needs of children
Though education is considered one of the most important tools to break the vicious
cycle of children of sex workers, there are some other aspects that the society needs to
address first for the well-being of these children. During the interview, Mahira said:
“Do you know what the main challenges we need to fight are? That is hunger.
I wanted to share a story with you, generally, our one well-wisher sends the
monthly groceries for these children. But one day because of the transportation
strike he is not able to send the groceries and unfortunately, on that day I
also had no money left. For almost 2 days my children spent the day without
eating anything. I will never forget that day in my life.”
But during the interview with the children, no children had spoken about that.
Social stigma
Social stigma can suppress a child’s capability to grow. It was observed during the
interviews that the utmost need for children of sex workers is proper education.
Mahira told that with the help of an NGO she is trying to give the children proper
education. But they are facing a lot of challenges in doing this. Mahira gives shelter
to undocumented children who have been abandoned or come from underprivileged
and socially excluded families. During the interview, she recalls her experiences, where
she faced a lot of challenges when she tried to enroll the children of sex workers into
the mainstream school. She explained:
“I was not able to enroll the children in the school. When the school authority
wanted to know the father’s name, I could not tell. Then they came to know
that these are the children of sex workers. So they just denied enrolling them
in their school. But now the situation is changing a little bit. At least now,
some people came forward and tried their level best to provide the education
to these children.”
During the interviews, it has come to the researcher’s knowledge that most
of children of sex workers endure bullying from their peers. Mahira talked about
difficulty these children face in adjusting with other groups of children. When asked
what are the most important issues and concerns for these children? Mahira shared:

“It is very important to mix these children with the other groups of children.
I never discriminate against these children from other children. In my safe
home, there are children from slum areas, sometimes the garment workers
also keep their children in my home during their work. So I always try to
mix them with other children so that they can never feel alone and isolated.”
Bullying and harassment

Bullying is another problem faced by these children almost every day. Billah (2012)
stated that if some children of sex workers managed to join a school, most of them
dropped out because they got bullied by their peers because of their mother’s
identity. Mahira got so many complaints from them about being bullied by their
schoolmates. Most of the time, they are asked by their peers about their identity,
their father’s name, etc. In addition to being bullying, sometimes girls get harassed
in public places. As an example, one 14-year-old participant said, “Sometimes I get
harassed on the road when I go to school by some of the boys. They speak so badly. When I
saw them I just ran from there. I also told these things to Ammu.”
Esteem
Access to school
According to Maslow's (1943) theory, the interactions a child is exposed to influences
how the child will grow. One of the most important aspect is the educational system,
where the structure is inclusive. Not only does it pivot them into the right direction
for their future career, but it also develops an identity for every student. Any form
of schooling or education helps kids to be part of the society as it helps them to
express themselves in a way that is very hard to teach any other way. Especially kids
who are self-aware of their position in a society that looks down upon them socially,
religiously and economically. Most of the children at the safe home go to a nearby
school for underprivileged children, which usually lacks facilities including poor
quality teachers, and overcrowded classrooms (Shohel, 2013). Many often do not
have the necessary documents needed to enroll in school or these documents do not
include the name of the father. This becomes a hindrance in registering for a place in
school or becomes the reason they are bullied or isolated. This leads to the children
not attending school or dropping out.
Mahira stated that all the children in her safe home go to school. However,
during an interview with Asma, a 14-year old girl, this was revealed:
“Not all of us are going to the school. The married ones stay in the safe home.
There are a few of us who got married in this COVID-19 situation. Some of
them are 13 to 14 years old.”

Most of the children from the safe home like to be in school. When the children
were asked whether they understood the lessons taught in school, they replied that
their teachers were very supportive. If they did not understand any lessons, they
would seek help from the teacher. One participant, a 13-years old boy Faruk said, “I
always ask my teacher if I am unable to understand any lesson. I don’t have any fear of
the teacher. They always help us with our studies.”
Another participant, 17 years old Asma, said, “My favorite subject is

“Civics” because I like my civics teacher a lot. Other than that I don’t like to
go to school….You tell me! Who wants to study?”
Regarding schooling, Mahira said:
“I always encourage my children to go to school. From my experiences, the life

of children of sex workers is very tough. If they get the proper education and
knowledge they can do anything in their lives. That’s why I keep telling the
children to go to the school.”
Rahul, who is 11 years old, commented, “When I will grow up I will be a judge so
that I can help more children like me just the way Ammu is doing now.”
Most of the children came into the safe home when they were 5 or 6 years old;
before that, they used to live in the brothel. So these children have been exposed
to the life of the brothel and after spending so much time in that environment and
experiencing a lot of things, it is necessary to change their thought processes. For
example, when their mothers were busy with their clients, they hide their children
under the bed or the curtains. Further, children also learnt a lot of abusive and curse
words, which according to them, is normal to say in front of everyone. When these
children are brought to a safe home, they need to be handled with sensitivity.
Another important barrier that Mahira highlighted was that these children were
trapped in a cycle which is difficult to break. Mahira spoke at length about the difficulties
they face because of this barrier. She told the story of a daughter of a sex worker:
“There was one girl from Sylhet (another city), she was very good in her studies
and also she was doing very well in her school. But sadly when she was in her
11th grade, her mother came and took her with her, and then we came to
know that she got involved in her mother’s profession. Which is sad.”
Thus, it is very important to keep these children away from the environment of
the brothel and allow them grow up in safe home that fulfills all the levels of needs
so that they can reach their full potential (Maslow, 2013).

Discussion
This study aims to understand 1) What are the educational needs of children of
sex workers in Bangladesh? 2) How does the safe home respond to the educational
needs of the children of sex workers in Bangladesh? The findings from this study also
highlight how a safe environment, surrounding, learning center, friends, school and
education play an important role in the lives of the children of sex workers which can
be helpful for the education service providers in the government or non-government
sector, social workers and also other stakeholders.
Educational Needs of Children of Sex Workers

Bangladesh is a country where access to education at times could be challenging
for certain groups due to scarce resources and social structures, such as poverty,
ethnic minorities, and marginalisation (Hennink, 2014). For example, if a family
cannot obtain sufficient income, the child/children start working from an earlier
age, and cannot go to school. Or in some other situations, the child simply stays
home. Another problem that can be seen in certain areas is that girls not allowed
to go to school after a certain age because of religious sentiments (Sahu & Hutter,
2012). These disparities affecting children of sex workers is an ongoing issue that
needs to be addressed. More specifically, previous research on access to education has
identified that sex workers and their children belong to the marginalised community
that is always deprived of their basic rights and this crisis continues to effect every
generation (Shohel, 2013). Furthermore, some other factors prevent these children
from obtaining their basic needs. In this study, Mashlow’s (1943) “Hierarchy of
Needs” was used to understand the children of sex workers’ needs.
The results of the data analysis revealed that the specific needs of these children
correlate with education. Two items support this finding, “I feel blessed because I am
staying in this home. When I grow up I also want to be a social worker. Because I wanted
to be like Ammu. Ammu always told us how education can change our lives. If we want
to change our lives first you need to educate ourselves.” and “Sometimes I get harassed on
the road when I go to school by some of the boys. They speak so badly. When I saw them I
just ran from there I also told these things to Ammu.”
These two quotes reflect the relationship between basic needs and access to
education. The first quote, “I feel blessed because I am staying in this home. When I
grow up I also want to be a social worker. Because I wanted to be like Ammu. Ammu
always told us how education can change our lives. If we want to change our lives first you
need to educate ourselves,\ descibes the children’s perception of a safe home. While
the quote “Sometimes I get harassed on the road when I go to school by some of the boys.
They speak so badly. When I saw them I just ran from there I also told these things to
Ammu,” provides a clear picture of the safety needs of these children. This finding is

crucial to identifying what motivates these children to pursue education, which are,
physiological and safety needs.
If the physiological and safety needs of the children of sex workers can be met,
then the chances of them obtaining an education will be much better. According to
Maslow (1943), children always crave a sense of connection to achieve something
good. But the children of sex workers face continuous ignorance humiliation and
discrimination from the society which discourages mothers to fight for their children
access to education (Billah & Baroi, 2012). The data analysis also showed the
relationship between the mother’s profession and the children’s educational needs.
“Educational challenges”, one of the themes that was identified, coincides with the
fourth level of Maslow’s theory. The fourth level of Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of
Needs model covers the child’s social recognition, status, and respect. By fulfilling
this basic level of needs, these children can reach their full potential (Maslow, 2013).
The Role of the Safe home to the Educational Needs of the Children of Sex
Workers in Bangladesh
Different organisations continue to work together to create an environment which
can motivate sex workers to send their children to the school and to ensure these
children’s safety and well-being are taken care of. The safe home featured in this study
was established in the area nearby a brothel so that they can provide the children of sex
workers basic facilities including shelter, food, and education. Currently, there is only
one person from the safe home who is taking care of 40 children all by herself. The
interviews revealed that most of the children who go to school enjoy the school and its
environment. All the teachers are helpful and give full support to these children. But
this result is for the children who are staying in a safe home. Still, many continue to
face indifference from their peers and get bullied if their identity is revealed in front of
their classmates. Apart from those in the safe home, there are many more childen of sex
workers who do not get access to formal education (Billah & Baroi, 2012).
According to Clair (2018), housing is a key component and plays a significant role
in a child’s well-being. To ensure the wellbeing of these children, it is very important
that they are given a safe and healthy atmosphere to stay and grow. Thus, the theme
“Children’s safe home” is one of the larger themes which coincides with the initial layer
of Maslow's (1943) Hierarchy of Needs model and includes the child’s immediate
atmosphere, family, school, school friends, teachers (Guy-Evans, 2021). The harsh and
difficult lives experienced by the children of sex workers before they were brought into
the safe home has been so terrible that it affected their normal development. They have
to face a lot of barriers that disconnect them from society. In this study, the learning
center plays an important role in the children of sex workers’ overall development.
All these interventions need to take place concurrently to promote an inclusive
education for these children.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that children of sex workers, irrespective of them living in a
safe home or the brothel, are often excluded by everyone in the society. This is despite
them being the most vulnerable group in society. Social stigma is seen to be the main
reason for their vulnerable state. Although in this study, most of the children live
under the governance of a safe home, receiving shelter, and safety, they continue to
face hardship and challenges in their everyday lives.
Some NGOs or social interventionists are trying to change the views of society
and include these children into the mainstream society. Initiatives such as the one
taken by “Save the Children” in 1995 to establish a school for children of sex workers
is one of the many endeavours undertaken to give these children access to education.
Nevertheless, a holistic approach involving all stakeholders is vital for the protection
and growth of these children.
The different issues explored in this study through the interviews include access
to education, exclusion from the mainstream society, and also reasons for returning to
the brothel environment after the number of years spent in a safe home. One simple
question which was asked in this study to help in the conclusion of this paper was, is
it possible to include this group of children into the mainstream or a regular school?
Mahira thinks that it is not an easy task to include them into the mainstream school
because it is not only about the enrollment but also the continuity of schooling itself.
The current study provides a qualitative perspective of the children of sex workers
and the safe home governor who is working to provide education and safety to these
children. Further similar studies might shed more light on the educational needs of
these children and the possible measures that can be taken to give them access to
formal education with a more theoretical approach.
Open Access: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (CC-BY 4.0) which permits any use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.
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Article · April 2022

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The Role of Safe Home in Accessing Education for the Children

*Correspondence: Tasnim Jannat, Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Email: tasnim.jannat23@gmail.com

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Research Problem & Objective

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Shohel (2013) presented an overview of the accessibility to formal education for

Figure 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Adapted from Maslow, 1943)

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“I worked in so many brothels as a sex worker. In every brothel, I noticed

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In Bangladesh, religious doctrines influence society which creates social ostracism

“I feel blessed because I am staying here. When I grow up I also want to be a

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other individuals provide essential

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Love and Belongings

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Bullying and harassment

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Another participant, 17 years old Asma, said, “My favorite subject is

Regarding schooling, Mahira said:

“I always encourage my children to go to school. From my experiences, the life

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Educational Needs of Children of Sex Workers

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