Regional updates: Global

Sonke Gender Justice Network, Men for Gender Equality Sweden, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Wikigender are holding an online discussion on the topic of "Engaging Men and Boys in Transforming Discriminatory Social Norms". The discussion will be open for comments starting on Monday October 22nd until October 31st.

Given Sweden’s role in promoting the criminalisation of clients this online discussion may be an opportunity for sex worker groups to challenge their position. PLEASE participate if you have time.

24th October 2012 by NSWP

This is the first issue of NSWP's new quarterly newsletter ‘Sex Work Digest’. 

This first issue focuses primarily on coverage of the Sex Worker Freedom Festival held in Kolkata.

24th October 2012 by NSWP

Lea este anuncio en español aquí.

Lire cette annonce ici en français.

在中国这里阅读本公告。

Прочтите это объявление на русском языке здесь.

Lesen Sie diese Ankündigung in Deutsch hier.

The NSWP is consulting with its member groups to develop a consensus statement on sex work, human rights and the law. This consultation will strengthen collaboration across NSWP members and global advocacy.

If you have questions about this consultation, contact Jenn Clamen

Read more below.

26th September 2012 by Jenn Clamen

File 973

Launch of APNSW+ and NSWP+

Tuesday 24th July 2012

Sex Worker Freedom Festival

Kolkata, India

We are a group of HIV+ Sex Workers and people committed to treatment access for sex workers living with HIV. We have decided that we need a special platform to fight for the rights of HIV+ sex workers and to bring the sex worker’s issues and the energy and glamour of the Sex workers movement to the treatment activist movement!

Our new platforms ‘Asia and Pacific Network of Positive Sex Workers’ (APNSW+) and ‘Global Network of Positive Sex Workers’ (NSWP+) make these demands:

  • HIV+ Sex workers demand the right to look fabulous- to do this we need better and affordable HIV drugs now
  • WE DEMAND AS POSITIVE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO WORK AS SEX WORKERS!!!
  • We demand the right to work in all sectors, including in the sex industry
  • We demand that the drug companies from the West stop trying to kill us through their attacks on developing countries right to manufacture, export and import generic ARVs
  • As HIV+ sex workers we face MULTIPLE stigma and discrimination despite 25 years of treatment activism there is an extra layer of stigma if we have HIV and do sex work. As positive sex workers, we demand that this stigma is fought and our specific needs are met
  • We demand not to be last in line for treatment or refused treatment because we are sex workers
  • Treatment needs to be matched to the patient not the patient matched to the treatment
  • Post Exposure Prophylaxis is not available to most people around the world – we need access and availability of PEP, especially for sex workers

AS HIV+ SEX WORKERS, WE DEMAND THE RIGHT TO LOOK FABULOUS!!!

25th August 2012 by NSWP

The Red Umbrella Fund is launching its first Call for Applications from 15 August to 15 September, and will award over 500,000 euro in grants by the end of 2012.  Read the announcement and find out more information below.

(Castellano mas abajo/ version française ci-dessous / смотрите низже для русской версии)

21st August 2012 by NSWP

The International Labour Organization hosted an important seminar at IAC 2012 in Washington DC, which included participation from sex workers at the Kolkata SWFF Hub.

The session was entitled A Labour Rights Approach to HIV and Sex Work: Working with Sex Workers to Protect Human Rights, Prevent and Eliminate Violence and Sexual Harassment and Promote Equal Access to Protection Schemes.

ILO made clear the UN believes sex work is regarded as work under the definition provided in Recommendation 200 and that sex workers should be afforded the same rights and protections as other workers.

Read more on AFAO's website.

14th August 2012 by NSWP

This joint session featuring speakers from both Kolkata and Washington looked at the legal, policy, labour and public health rationale for creating an enabling environment in which sex work is integrated into communities as simply another occupation.

The keynote speaker was Naomi Akers from St James Infirmary.

30th July 2012 by NSWP

Watch Cheryl Overs' speech: 'The Tide Cannot Be Turned Without Us:  HIV Epidemics Amongst Key Affected Populations' given during the Plenary: 'Dynamics of the Epidemic in Context' at the IAC in Washington DC (from 20 minutes into the video above.)

You can also download the full transcript of the Plenary, or the MP3 audio file from the Global Health / KFF website.

30th July 2012 by NSWP

Elly Katabira, president of the International AIDS Society, has reportedly said that the exclusion of sex workers and drug users from the Washington DC conference was not an issue as they are “criminals.”

Responding Andrew Hunter, NSWP President said her comments were shocking.

“This International Conference (in Washington) we believe has been a huge missed opportunity with key affected populations such as sex workers missing from the conversation on how we can work together to end AIDS.”

Ruth Morgan Thomas, NSWP Global Coordinator also said: “We need to shout very loudly at Washington; at the President of the International AIDS Society.”

Read more in this story in The Hindu.

30th July 2012 by NSWP

The Sex Worker Freedom Festival urged the Indian government not to bow to pressure from the EU and US on Free Trade Agreements and to continue to produce generic anti-HIV drugs that are affordable for poorer nations.

Andrew Hunter, NSWP President said, “If we want to live in a world that is fair we cannot allow rich governments and corporations to hijack the global health system. We need to keep India as the pharmacy of the world. We need India to stand up to the EU and the US and keep us alive.”

30th July 2012 by NSWP