HIV/AIDS
Biological-behavioral surveillance surveys, which probe the risk behaviors and HIV vulnerability of female sex workers, have been conducted in a number of countries in the Arab region. Such facts and figures are only a snapshot of the lives of these women, hardly the big picture which is needed and which is only now starting to come into focus through greater research – harder with female sex workers than it is with almost any other group on the social margins. In the meantime, here’s a partial view:
Country |
Sample |
HIV Testing / Prevalence (%) |
Risk profile |
Source |
Algeria | 120 women in 4 municipalities | 58 / 6.7 | 44% said they used a used a condom with their last client | UNGASS Country Report Algeria, 2012 |
Egypt | 200 women in 1 city | 3 / 0 |
6% say they injected drugs in past year 25% used a condom during last commercial intercourse |
HIV/AIDS Bio-Behavioral Surveillance Survey, 2010 |
Jordan | 450 women in 4 cities | 20 / 0 |
51% know that condoms can protect against HIV 33% consistently use condoms with commercial sex partners |
UNGASS Country Report, Jordan, 2012 |
Lebanon | 131 women in Beirut | 79 / 0 |
88% know that condoms can protect against HIV in vaginal intercourse (although only 65% think the same of anal intercourse) 91% always use condoms with commercial partners (although 35% also said they were unable to use a condom with a client in the past month) 44% consider themselves at risk of HIV |
“HIV/AIDS among female sex workers, drug users and men who have sex with men in Lebanon” by Ziyad Mahfoud et al. |
Morocco | 1447 women in 4 cities | 25 / 2-5 | 50% say they used a condom at last same-sex intercourse | UNGASS Country Report Morocco, 2012 |
Syria | 400 women | NA / NA |
46% consider the prospect of HIV infection as probable >80% have more than one client/day 13% say they use condoms consistently 45% said clients refuse condoms |
UNGASS Country Report, Syria, 2012 |
Sudan | 321 women in 6 cities | 25 / 0.6-7.7 | Depending on location, 4-55% report using a condom with last client | UNGASS Country Report Sudan, 2012 |
Tunisia | 998 women in 3 cities | 13.4 / 0.6 |
55% report condom use at last same-sex intercourse 40% report unsafe sex with men and women |
UNGASS Country Report, Tunisia, 2012 |
Yemen | 301 women from 1 city | 6 / 0 | 35% used a condom at last intercourse with a client | UNGASS Country Report, Yemen, 2012 |