ZIMSWA

Ubicación

Bulawayo

Zimbabwe

Contact email:

zimswa04@gmail.com

ZIMSWA- Zimbabwe Sex Workers Alliance is a non profit making organisation that is structured in 10 provinces of Zimbabwe and was founded in November 2017 and is registered as a TRUST

ZIMSWA works to advance the sexual and legal rights of sex workers in Zimbabwe

Vision

To create a society in which all sex workers in diversity (male, female, transgender) are able to enjoy their fundamental rights and are free from violence and discrimination

MISSION

Our mission is to contribute to human rights status of sex workers by designing and implementing innovative evidence based on cost effective advocacy campaigns capableof influencing public policy and practice in the field of human rights

OBJECTIVES

1. To capacitate an alliance of collectives of marginalized groups of women and men, in particular, sex workers in Zimbabwe

2. To mobilize and capacitate groups on their health and legal in order that these groups can know, own and advocate for their rights

3. To address issues of marginalized groups and collectives in Zimbabwe by educating them on sexual rights and reproductive health rights

4. To advocate for more inclusive national policies

5. To raise awareness on basic violations of human rights in the areas of sexual rights and reproductive health rights

6. To provide psychosocial support and legal support to marginalized groups

7. To represent sex workers, groups, organisations, and collectives at a local, regional and international level

CORE VALUES

In all efforts to fulfill our vision and mission, we are guided by the following values

- Human rights based approach

- Innovation and creativity

- Teamwork

- Professionalism

- Commitment to continue learning

- Integrity, fairness, transparency, and accountability

MOTTO

Standing together in one accord

Who do you work with?:

ZIMSWA works with any person that identifies as a sex worker, be it male, female or transgender sex worker and sex workers groups, collectives across the country.

How are sex workers involved in your organisation?:

The founders of the organisation are sex workers, therefore 100% decision making is done by sex workers in designing and implementing innovative, evidence based and cost effective advocacy campaigns capable of influencing public policy and practice in the field of human rights for sex workers.

Which of NSWP priority areas does your organisation work on?:

Oppose the criminalisation and other legal oppression of sex work and support its recognition as work

Advocate for universal access to health services, including primary health care, HIV and sexual and reproductive health services

Speak out about violence against sex workers, including violence from police, institutions, clients, and intimate partners, while challenging the myth that sex work is inherently gender-based violence

Oppose human rights abuses, including coercive programming, mandatory testing, raids and forced rehabilitation

Challenge stigma and discrimination against sex workers, their families and partners, and others involved in sex work

Advocate for the economic empowerment and social inclusion of sex workers as sex workers

What are the two main challenges that the sex workers you work with face:

Stigma and discrimination in terms of accessing health services, from the communities they come from. Also violence from different perpetrators, the police, clients and even the sex workers themselves. Also exclusion of sex workers in decision making processes (lack of meaningful involvement).

Describe other areas of your work:

Providing legal assistance to sex workers, to strengthen sex workers leadership through meaningful involvement at every level and also mobilise and capacitate sex workers on their health and legal rights (to own, know and advocate for their own rights)

Region:

Africa