India's Devadasi System

Women in a sex-workers collective participate in an educational program sponsored by BIRDS (Belgaum Integrated Rural Development Society), a non-governmental organization based in Gokak in Northern Karnataka. The workshop addressed health issues amongst sex-workers (many of whom are Devadasis), particularly HIV/AIDS. BIRDS established collectives of sex-workers which meet on regular occasions and participate in workshops and self-help programs. They also recruited peer outreach workers to...
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Women in a sex-workers collective participate in an educational program sponsored by BIRDS (Belgaum Integrated Rural Development Society), a non-governmental organization based in Gokak in Northern Karnataka. The workshop addressed health issues amongst sex-workers (many of whom are Devadasis), particularly HIV/AIDS. BIRDS established collectives of sex-workers which meet on regular occasions and participate in workshops and self-help programs. They also recruited peer outreach workers to visit women in villages to educate them about HIV/AIDS and supply them with condoms. .
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