Breaking The Chains Of Modern Slavery
Our Modern Slavery project aims to break the cycle of intergenerational commercial sexual exploitation in Daulatdia brothel in Dhaka, one of the largest brothels in Bangladesh.
In the heart of Bangladesh lies Daulatdia, one of the largest brothels in the country—a place where more than 2,000 adults and children live amidst a stark reality. Here, generations are trapped in a cycle of commercial sexual exploitation, with poverty and a lack of opportunities leaving children as young as 17 or younger vulnerable to this devastating reality.
Imagine growing up in an environment where dreams are overshadowed by survival, where every child is at risk of becoming part of an unrelenting cycle of exploitation. This is the harsh truth for many families in Daulatdia. It is this heartbreaking cycle that our Modern Slavery project is determined to break.
Through research, community empowerment, and innovative interventions, we are working tirelessly to transform this story. In Daulatdia, we have spoken with 50 individuals to understand their life stories, creating a powerful evidence base to guide our initiatives. But we don’t stop at understanding the problem—we act to change it.
161,800
persons are estimated to be involved in Bangladesh’s sex trade
22%
of street-based female sex workers in Dhaka are estimated to be minors
2,000
children and adults are living in the Daulatdia brothel, trapped in cycles of poverty and exploitation
- Empowering communities: We help families find hope beyond the brothel by supporting alternative income opportunities, financial literacy, and collective savings. Parents who once saw no way out now dream of better futures for their children.
- Building new futures for children: Our life and entrepreneurship skills training equips children and youth with the tools they need to break free. With every training session, we plant seeds of hope giving them the confidence to say “no” to exploitation and explore sustainable livelihoods.
- Healing through sports and support: Using our “Sports for Protection” methodology, we engage children in activities that nurture resilience, teamwork, and mental well-being. Survivors and at-risk children also receive essential psychosocial and mental health support to help them recover and thrive.
- Alleviating immediate needs: By providing monthly food packages to struggling families, we reduce economic pressures that often push children into exploitation.
A young father living in the brothel, whose partner is a sex worker, shared his dreams:
“We never had the opportunities our children now have. We hope they won’t have to go through what we did. Some are already achieving more, and we dream they will be able to raise their own children differently. We want them to hold their heads high and live with dignity.“
This project builds on the success of CLARISSA, a groundbreaking initiative addressing child labor across South and Southeast Asia. Our work together with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Child Hope UK, and the Consortium for Street Children (CSC) is rooted in innovation, research, and a relentless commitment to creating a world where no child has to endure exploitation.
Let’s break the chains of modern slavery together.
A comprehensive repository of learnings on child labour in South and South-Eastern Asia is available at www.clarissa.global and https://hardlabour.info/.
