1st place
gold star award
Sandra Hoyn
germany
title
The Longing of the Others
Although prostitution is legal in Bangladesh since 2000, the women are socially stigmatized and tolerated only in these brothel areas, they are not treated like normal citizens. Recognizing the existence of sex workers is the first step to ensure that they have a right to live a normal life as any other human beeing.
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entry description
Bangladesh is one of the few Muslim countries where prostitution is legal. The Kandapara brothel in Tangail is the oldest and one of the largest, it has existed for some 200 years. Here live and work more than 700 sex workers with their children and their madams. Many of the women were born in the brothel, are sold by family members or have fled their husbands and secure in this way their livelihood.Although prostitution is legal in Bangladesh since 2000, the women are socially stigmatized and tolerated only in these brothel areas, they are not treated like normal citizens. Recognizing the existence of sex workers is the first step to ensure that they have a right to live a normal life as any other human beeing.
about the photographer
Sandra Hoyn was born in 1976 in Wolfenbüttel, Germany. She studied photography at the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Germany and graduated in 2005. She started working as freelance photojournalist for magazines, NGOs and on her personal projects, concentrating on social, environmental and human rights issues. Since 2007 she is represented by laif, agency for photos and reports.back to gallery