March 3^rd is International Sex Worker Rights Day.  Many sex worker organisations plan special events on or around this day each year.  Here are just a few of those events and how they were covered in the media / online.  Updated to show even more coverage!

Africa

The African Sex Worker Alliance (ASWA) planned events with its member organisations in the following countries: Mozambique, Nigeria, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.  For the full programme and details of events see their website here.

Namibia

The Namibian Sex Workers Coalition (NSWC) under the auspices of the African Sex Worker Alliance Namibia (ASWA) marked the day with the launch in Windhoek of a number of reports related to sex work in Namibia.  The reports were produced by UNAIDS and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The reports were a Literature Review (2011), National Sex workers Conference Recommendations (2011) and the Community Assessment (2011).  Read more in The Namibian, Informante , The Namibian Sun and New Era. 

Kenya

Kenya Sex Worker Alliance (KESWA) will hold a procession on March 6^th, ending at City Hall in Nairobi, where they will present the mayor with a list of recommendations.  The theme of this year’s commemoration will be ‘Sex Workers Rights are Human Rights.’  The event got lots of coverage.  Read more at Identity Kenya, The LA Times, Voice of America, AllAfrica, The Standard, Africa Review, Independent Online , AllAfrica (again) & Daily Monitor. 

Also watch a video of the march here.

Botswana

 Sisonke Botswana started with a 10km march beginning at the National Stadium to the Main Mall open space.  The day ended with an annual general meeting held at the University of Botswana.  Read more at Behind the Mask and the Daily Nation.

South Africa

The march through Cape Town organised by the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) saw demonstrators, armed with placards and whistles hand over a memorandum of grievances to the police, which highlighted the harassment sex workers have suffered.  Read more at Eye Witness News and The Citizen.

Scotland

SCOT-PEP re-launched their new and improved website.  SCOT-PEP now operates as a campaigning and lobbying organisation committed to promoting health, dignity and human rights for all involved in sex work.  Take a look at the new website here.   

Asia Pacific

The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) also produced this great multi-lingual image to mark International Sex Worker Rights Day.