The Sex Worker Open University has organised a candle light vigil in Soho, London on Thursday 15th December to remember friends and colleagues who were victims of violence.
SWOU have produced a number of videos to promote the event. The first video can be seen on this page and the others can be viewed here and here.
At its 25th Board Meeting in Ghana, 20-22 November, the Global Fund Board decided to cancel Round 11, its funding opportunity for countries to put forward ambitious proposals for scale-up of HIV/AIDS, TB and/or malaria programs, National Strategies and health systems strengthening. The reason for this is lack of money and unwillingness by the donors to invest more in AIDS, TB and malaria through the Global Fund. The immediate consequence is that countries will only be able to apply for funding for continuation of essential prevention, treatment and/or care programs currently financed by the Global Fund that will otherwise face disruption between January 2012 and 31 March 2014. Funding for new programs and scale-up would only come available again as of 2014. This happens at a time when the Global Fund Board also approved a new Strategy 2012-2016 with ambitious targets – that could fundamentally change the course of the epidemics.
At a time when funding for HIV prevention programmes for sex workers is increasingly under pressure and at risk, a recently published evaluation found a significant decline in HIV prevalence among female sex workers and young women (15-24 years) seeking antenatal care in the high-prevalence southern states in India.
Elena Reynaga, from Redtrasex and AMMAR in Argentina, interviewed in the Metro (UK) in the run up to World AIDS Day, calls for sex workers to have the same rights as any other workers, including the right to unionise and pension rights.
NSWP fully supports the statement (published in full below) released by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) concerning the decision taken in Accra by the Global Fund on the cancellation of R11 funding with broader implications for all unsigned Round 10 grants (80 with a value of $1.2 billion) and all phase two renewals.
We join ITPC in calling on donors to take action on replenishing the Global Fund.
SWOP USA is happy to announce the new website for the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (December 17). http://www.swopusa.org/dec17/
This article, by Rathi Ramathnathan from APNSW, who is on the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board as an NGO delegate, is targeted to pressure States like Australia to carry on steps to decriminalise and recognise sex work as an occupation.
Research launched at a recent London seminar, as reported on PLRI's website, showed that:
Many migrants prefer working in the sex industry rather than the "unrewarding and sometimes exploitative conditions they meet in non-sexual jobs".
Many migrants working in the sex industry send money back to their country of origin, thereby "dramatically improving the living conditions of their families".
Police efforts to combat organised crime is undermined by the fact that victims of exploitation cannot be guaranteed indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
The research findings presented were from the ESRC-funded ‘Migrant Workers in the UK Sex Industry’, led by Dr Nick Mai from the Institute for the Study of European Transformations at London Metropolitan University.
Harassment by police and humiliation at clinics mean just 5 percent of sex workers in South Africa are getting access to health care.
Research by the Sex Worker Education Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat), says up to 60 percent of sex workers nationwide were HIV-positive.
Micky Meji, national co-ordinator of the Africa Sex Worker Alliance, added that the infection rate was higher due to harassment by police, who often confiscated condoms from sex workers.
You can read the full story as reported in the South African Daily News here.
The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee is a collective of 65000 female, male and transgender sex workers in West Bengal, India. Their most recent Bulletin (No 8.) includes details of new reproductive health services now offered by DMSC and information about health insurance cards given to sex workers in Sonagachi.
You can download this 6 page pdf Bulletin below (in English).
Gay porn star Thierry Schaffauser left some students hot under the collar in his taboo-breaking talk at Wadham last week.
The French social activist, who founded the sex workers rights charity Les Putes in 2006, spoke frankly to members of Oxford’s LGBTQ society about his ongoing work for the gay rights movement and his experience in the porn industry.
The St. James Infirmary poster campaign promotes their philosophy that social stigma contributes negatively to the health and wellness of sex workers. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of their work and to educate the community that sex workers are equal members of society. In this interview Stephany Ashley discusses the media campaign and the clinic.
This article by Melissa Sontag Broudo and Penelope Saunders was originally posted on the SWOP-NYC website on October 27, 2011.
In the last four weeks, many have been wondering what has driven people to Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and bring attention to the economic situation that has developed in our country.
We, the undersigned civil society organisations and members of the Seksualiti Merdeka (Sexuality Independence) coalition strongly condemn the attacks on the annual festival by PERKASA, Hindu Sangam and PAS Youth.
The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee is a collective of 65000 female, male and transgender sex workers in West Bengal, India. Their most recent Bulletin (No 7.) includes an update of support received for their demands to amend various clauses of the ITPA legislation (Immoral Traffic Act) as well as an outline of Durbar's role in preventing trafficking.
Elena Jeffreys, President of Scarlett Alliance, was interviewed recently regarding a new law due to be put before the Victoria State parliament which would give police oversight of legal brothels.
