The South Asian perspective: A deeper look at COVID-19 and its effects on the region’s frontline

Nepali charity 3 Angels Nepal uses its community radio programs to raise awareness of COVID-19, India’s Sanjog publishes insights into issues of frontline leadership in the face of the pandemic, and we bring you a report on a lack of worker protection that has crippled the sex industry in India.

*“Distribution of food and relief materials during the COVID-19 lockdown.” Picture courtesy of 3angels, Pokhara, Nepal*

Welcome to the July edition of Freedom Collaborative’s Asia newsletter. This edition features updates from our partners in India and Nepal on the ongoing consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for migrant and vulnerable workers in these countries, with a special report on the impossible choices faced by sex workers in India’s red light districts. We also shed light on the difficult situation faced by Bangladeshi migrants who can no longer find work in their destination countries, and provide links to all the latest news from our sector.

We are delighted to celebrate another ‘Contributor of the Month’ – an individual community member who works tirelessly to combat anti-trafficking in Asia.

Thank you so much to Sanjog, 3Angels Nepal, HDW, and to all our contributors and partners for their work this month. Please keep sharing your updates with us via our Facebook group or by email.

PARTNER UPDATES

Indian frontline (Partner name is not disclosed to maintain privacy)

Covid-19 has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on the red light areas of India. The sudden lockdown in March led to an immediate cease of custom and, consequently, a loss of income for every sex worker. They are now unable to pay rent, buy food for themselves and their children, or support their wider family. Many women from Bangladesh and Nepal have also been unable to access government ration schemes as they do not possess the correct documentation required to register. Several organizations have stepped in to distribute dry food rations, but as time progresses and the lockdown is eased there is less interest, or ability, to sustain these food aid initiatives. There have also been several reports of women being pressured, sometimes with violence, to pay their room rent.

On 8 June, despite rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19, the first phase of lockdown easing was announced. Numerous guidelines have been published on how businesses and industry can reopen safely, which invariably include mandatory mask wearing, strict social distancing, and screening for individuals with COVID symptoms. However, no consideration seems to have been given to the safety and wellbeing of sex workers or their customers.

Men are now returning to the red light area and women are faced with impossible choices. Some are refusing to take customers in order to protect their health, but this results in a continued lack of income and extreme difficulty in obtaining food. Others are forced to take customers by the brothels they work for, while some are consciously risking their health because they need money. There are also many who do not comprehend the risks and have simply returned to their previous way of life. Aside from the injustices of this situation, which will exacerbate the problems of an already marginalized and disadvantaged group, this lack of protection will only serve to accelerate the spread of the virus throughout the city as customers visit, closely interact with workers, and then return home. Like most countries in this region, slowing the spread of the virus is critical as, otherwise, healthcare systems will be easily overwhelmed. We have attempted to voice our concerns but, to date, there is a conscious lack of enforcement of the nationwide regulations on mask wearing, social distancing or curfews.

The situation also highlights trafficking victims’ lack of documentation and the problems this brings with it. While other migrant workers are offered the opportunity to repatriate to their country of origin, many Nepali and Bangladeshi women cannot return home. They are facing the consequences of being trafficked before they were able to obtain proof of their citizenship, or of having their citizenship identification taken from them to restrict their movements.

The unfortunate reality is that we will need to wait until COVID cases escalate within the red light communities, and for them to be categorized as containment zones under strict lockdown, before sex workers are offered protective health measures. Given the presence of significant underlying health conditions in these communities, such as HIV and TB, we can only hope that these women do not succumb to the more serious complications of the virus.

Sanjog | India

A document developed and designed by Sanjog India, in collaboration with its field partner Partners for Anti Trafficking (PAT), highlights the fantastic work being done in Kolkata on the community-based rehabilitation of survivors of trafficking and exploitation. The findings of the report are based on the results of an exercise conducted with frontline workers. They were asked to express their sentiments on their current situation and the type of leadership they are experiencing during the COVID-19 lockdowns and uncertainties, using one of eight images provided. Most of the participants expressed a deep sense of disconnect and isolation as well as helplessness in carrying out their roles. A general sense of failure to coordinate as a team due to restrictions on physical mobility and the limitations of virtual communications appears to have led some individuals to question their self-worth. However, despite the uncertainties and difficulties, almost all participants expressed a sense of responsibility towards fulfilling their roles and duties, with varying degrees of perceived success. This dedication towards their work demonstrates a strong sense of leadership even in these trying times. Read the full document.

3Angels | Nepal

The COVID-19 crisis has been particularly difficult for trafficked and at-risk women and children, an already vulnerable sector of Nepali society. Increased unemployment has had a significant impact on the health and mental wellbeing of most of the population, resulting in a significant rise in suicide, domestic violence and mental health issues, all indicators of a worsening trafficking situation in the days ahead.

Over three months during the nationwide lockdown, the team at 3 Angels Nepal reached out through local agencies to its rehabilitated beneficiaries, to check on their safety and access to food and other important supplies. Additionally, 3 Angels Community Radio has been and continues to be used to reach out to those who have been overlooked or neglected, with information on how to access food and other supplies during lockdown. We have also been linking generous donors with recipients and providing life-saving awareness advice on protection against COVID-19. The need for accurate and reliable information has never been greater, and fact-checking and disseminating verified information from reliable sources has been our top priority. Besides these efforts, our radio programs have been offering psychosocial counselling and disseminating legal information to those who seek them.

CURRENT AFFAIRS And News

Cambodia

Amid Covid-19, thousands of garment workers protest for pay, 150,000 workers have now lost jobs, and HRW says government must suspend loan collections for borrowers impacted by Covid-19.

Malaysia

Liberty Shared has filed a petition with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency against Malaysian palm oil giant Sime Darby Plantation, urging a ban on imports of the firm’s palm oil products into the U.S. due to alleged conditions of forced and child labor on its plantations.

India

The routine misidentification of cases of child slavery by officials leaves many children vulnerable as they then lose their right to post-rescue compensation, according to an analysis by Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Nepal

Malaysia’s leading glove maker has agreed to compensate nearly 1,600 of its foreign workers, of whom 600 are Nepali, as reported by the Kathmandu Post.

Bangladesh

COVID-19 is Shedding Light on the Relationship Between Bangladeshi Supplies and the World’s Largest Apparel Brands, says an article by The Fashion Law.

Thailand

Online child sex abuse cases are on the rise in Thailand as criminals seek to take advantage of stay-at-home children during the pandemic, according to Thomson Reuters Foundation.

CONTRIBUTOR OF THE MONTH

Nicole Bernas was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to Hong Kong in 2018 after more than five years living in Singapore. She is a certified project management professional with extensive experience in financial services and the business process outsourcing industry. Driven by her passion for improving organizational processes, Nicole joined Help for Domestic Workers (HDW) in 2019 as a volunteer. Soon after, she permanently joined the HELP team as a project coordinator.

Nicole has played an integral role in introducing and implementing the Victim Case Management System (VCMS) within HELP. Her expertise has led to great success in moving the organization towards cloud-based systems, an achievement which has proven to be timely and necessary during the social unrest in Hong Kong and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past months, the HELP team, led by Nicole, has been able to maximize the use of VCMS which, in turn, has helped to significantly improve the organization’s data analytics. This has been key to understanding trends and measuring the impact and success of HELP’s programs.

Nicole finds great meaning and purpose in working for the non-profit sector, especially supporting the needs of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. Nicole has helped bring our partnership to new heights, and we at Freedom Collaborative want to thank her for all her support and contributions thus far. Please do take a minute to explore to explore their website and learn more about the tremendous work being done by Nicole and her team.

To share solidarity, resources and donations with HELP, you can reach them via email.

OTHER UPDATES

The launch of VCMS Lite

Liberty Shared has launched VCMS Lite, a simpler and more user-friendly case management interface with offline capabilities. With an increasing need for mobile friendly apps in the wake of this global pandemic, VCMS Lite has been developed to make it easier for CSOs to capture data while working remotely from the frontline. This lightweight interface is part of Liberty Shared’s plan to increase the accessibility of MS systems for organizations around the world, as well as improve the quality of the data captured.

New Study by Winrock International | Bangladesh

Winrock International under the USAID Asia CTIP program has published its second study on the effects of COVID-19 on the migrant population in Bangladesh. A large number of business and industry closures resulting from COVID-19 in destination countries has caused a mass exodus of migrant workers who return home unemployed, carrying the burden of massive debts and the fear of uncertainty on their shoulders. The Bangladeshi migrant worker population has been severely hit by the pandemic, with more than 200,000 workers forced to return home during February and March. This number is bound to increase as the world economy plummets further, and more foreign workers are asked to return home. The study is the result of interviews with 155 returnee Bangladeshi migrants, with its key findings highlighting the devastatingly exploitative conditions of working abroad.