When offered a lifeline that could lift them out of a destitute situation, impoverished women in Myanmar often have little choice but to become sex workers. In a country long pervaded by poverty, many Myanmarese are destitute of basic necessities needed to sustain their lives. According to a report by the Asian Development Bank, This bleak reality has driven many Myanmar women to join what is an illegal but highly vibrant industry in the country — the sex industry. Due to the poor living conditions they face, these families are often willing to send their daughters away.

Sex workers in Myanmar face many challenges ranging from stigma and discrimination to violence and police arrests. For this reason, sex workers are hesitant to reach out to available services such as testing and treatment and to advocate for their rights. AMA strengthens the sex worker movement in 5 regions across Myanmar, connects local and national sex work groups to regional and global bodies and increases the demand for and access to services by engaging and advocating with the National AIDS Programme NAP and sensitizing health care providers at NAP health clinics in 7 cities. Finally, AMA advocates for better laws and policies for sex workers. If sex workers have equal access to HIV-related and sexual and reproductive services, if equal and full rights for sex workers are realised and if a strong civil society exists then sex workers will be able to work under safe conditions.

Protecting lives and livelihood during the pandemic. Textbook row sheds light on Myanmar attitudes to sex. Myanmar Friday, 10 Jul Related News. Myanmar 21 Nov Myanmar: Govt sound the alarm as number of Covid cases exceeds 76,

A new school textbook, which features a fictional same-sex couple and young students who find themselves attracted to the opposite sex, has sparked outrage in Myanmar. The opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party USDP , Buddhist monks and conservative parents protested the distribution of the book, calling it immoral and a threat to Burmese culture. The critics demand that the Ministry of Education revise the book's content, including the country's Grade 10 "life skills" course curriculum, which includes optional sex education.