Regional updates: Asia and the Pacific

NSWP mourn the passing of a leader in the fight for sex workers' rights, Manjula Ramaiah. Manjula passed away in June from COVID-19 complications.

Manjula was a strong leader and frontline worker who founded sex worker community networks and served on the board of several key organisations as a champion for the human rights of sex workers and those living with HIV.

NSWP mourn the passing of a leader in the fight for sex workers' rights, Manjula Ramaiah. Manjula passed away in June from COVID-19 complications.

Manjula was a strong leader and frontline worker who founded sex worker community networks and served on the board of several key organisations as a champion for the human rights of sex workers and those living with HIV.

The All India Network of Sex Workers (AINSW), a collective of 5 million sex workers in India and a member of NSWP, last week wrote to the Delhi government demanding better access to vaccines for sex workers and transgender people.

The Hindustan Times reported on the letter, including quotes from AINSW.

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

The global key population networks GATE, GNP+, INPUD, IRGT, MPact and NSWP mourn the untimely and tragic passing of activist, leader, and dear friend, Jude Byrne of Australia, who was taken from us too soon by cancer.

For over 40 years Jude was a leading activist for people who use drugs. She was also the board chair of INPUD, a global network of people who use drugs that fights for the human rights and dignity of people who use drugs around the world.

The global key population networks GATE, GNP+, INPUD, IRGT, MPact and NSWP mourn the untimely and tragic passing of activist, leader, and dear friend, Jude Byrne of Australia, who was taken from us too soon by cancer.

For over 40 years Jude was a leading activist for people who use drugs. She was also the board chair of INPUD, a global network of people who use drugs that fights for the human rights and dignity of people who use drugs around the world.

A sex worker in New Zealand has won a sexual harassment case against a business owner, including a six-figure settlement to compensate for "emotional harm and lost earnings", the country’s human rights commission has said.

In October we reported on The National Human Rights Commission, India who had issued an advisory recognising sex workers as informal workers. The 11-page advisory titled 'Human Rights Advisory on rights of Women in Context of COVID-19' listed recommendations for sex workers under the women at work section.

The National Human Rights Commission, India have issued an advisory recognising sex workers as informal workers. The 11-page advisory titled 'Human Rights Advisory on rights of Women in Context of COVID-19' lists recommendations for sex workers under the women at work section.

On Thursday 24th September, the Bombay High Court released three sex workers detained at a woman’s hostel and declared that adult women have the right to choose their vocation and cannot be detained without consent.

Reporting on the judgement, the Hindustan Times wrote:

The government of Maharashtra, India, has acknowledged the challenges faced by sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new government resolution issued on 23 July. The resolution asks district officials to provide free rations and all essential services to women who are dependent on sex work.

As reported in The Hindu, this is the first time that sex work has been recognised as work in this way.

Sex workers in India are speaking out against a study by academics from Yale School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

In April 2020, NSWP launched a global survey to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sex workers. To date, the survey has received 156 responses from 55 different countries. 18 of these responses were from 11 countries – Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam – in the Asia-Pacific region.