EXIT Programme: concluding results of the first phase!

©Joseph Marando

In December 2024, the first 3-year phase of the EXIT programme came to an end.

The EXIT Programme, led by CAP International and its grassroots members, was designed to create sustainable exit pathways for girls, boys and young women aged 13 to 25 affected by prostitution and sexual exploitation in India, Malawi, Mongolia and Nepal. It was implemented by our fours members in these respective countries: South Kolkata Hamari Muskan, People Serving Girls at Risks, Talita Asia and Maiti Nepal.

It was built around two key objectives:

613 women, girls and boys supported through individualised holistic support

For most persons involved in prostitution, exiting is a long and complex process, due to the multiple obstacles and vulnerabilities surrounding their lives. Poverty, homelessness, addictions, experience of childhood sexual abuse, minority of age added to the physical and psychological violence inherent to prostitution are opening ramps to prostitution. To exit prostitution requires long-term, holistic support.

The EXIT program worked directly with 613 girls, boys and young women to remove these barriers by opening access to education, vocational training, income-generating activities and employment opportunities.  

In India, South Kolkata Hamari Muskan thus developed income-generating activities for survivors of prostitution living in the red-light area of Sonaggachi and Bowbazaar. Those included a mobile catering service, jewelry-making and sewing. In all four countries, women and girls in prostitution could benefit from vocational training in order for them to gain skills the areas of their choice: baking and pastry-making, cooking, beauticians, hair-styling, computer, entrepreneurship… These supported the creation of sustainable alternative livelihoods to prostitution.

Access to education was also a priority of the EXIT programme, particularly for children, to keep them in the school system and protect them from prostitution. In Nepal, for example, Maiti ensured that all minors in its care attended school.

Job placement activities were also introduced for the first time in partner associations. Young people were thus supported in finding paid employment, often through internships or networking with local employers. In Mongolia, for example, agreements have been signed with several companies to facilitate this integration.

In parallel, the Programme responded to the most urgent needs of the beneficiaries: safe housing, food, healthcare and psychological support, helping them move toward safer, more stable lives. Indeed, in 2024, 95% of the program’s beneficiaries received food support and 513 of them received psychological support.

The program strengthened the capacity of grassroots associations through the exchange of best practices and capitalisation

The EXIT program invested in these frontline associations by creating shared tools, organising peer-training workshops, publishing practical guides, and encouraging the exchange of knowledge. These resources were then shared with CAP International’s 37 member organisations worldwide, helping to spread survivor-centred, abolitionist practices far beyond the initial programme countries.

At the same time, the EXIT Program enhanced collaborative capacities of the four member associations. The member associations took part in 3 joint training workshops: in India, Nepal and Mongolia to foster the development of collective skills. Each association then organised internal restitution sessions to share the learnings with their entire teams. This method of knowledge dissemination allowed a wider group of frontline professionals to be involved.

 During field visits, many survivors of prostitution who were supported by the program were also consulted about their needs. Their voices directly informed the good practice guides that were developed.

The programme has had a significant, measurable and lasting impact:

• A total of 613 unique beneficiaries were supported throughout the EXIT Programme

• 282 survivors have permanently exited prostitution or have been protected from entering it, while an additional 126 are well on their way to exiting.

These results confirm the programme’s main goal: to sustainably break the cycle of prostitution.

Publication of Two EXIT Handbooks

The programme also strengthened local partner capacity through the publication of two EXIT Handbooks (2022 & 2024), now available in five languages and distributed to over 200 organisations globally. The first one highlights the “Grassroots Abolitionist Approach” by highlighting the grassroots and survivor-centred practices of CAP members providing holistic support (housing, healthcare, education, income opportunities) to enable sustainable exit pathways.

The second one “Providing Individualised Support to Persons in Prostitution” focuses on building authentic, trust-based relationships with survivors and tailoring support to individual needs.

The EXIT Program has had a significant and lasting impact in the four countries. It has enabled hundreds of girls, boys, and young women to exit or be protected from prostitution and the systemic violence linked to it. Survivors testify that without the program’s support they could not have rebuilt their lives:

Beyond individual change, the program has also shifted societal perceptions: by becoming agents of change in their communities, survivors are seen as examples. Their work and advocacy contribute to breaking the stigmatisation of persons in prostitution and to build resilience.

• Programme EXIT
• EXIT
• Handbooks