History of the NSWP and the Sex Worker Rights Movement: Asia and the Pacific

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1985: EMPOWER Foundation founded in Thailand

1986: Andrew Hunter becomes involved in sex worker activism

1987: New Zealand Prostitutes Collective Formed

1988: Scarlet Alliance founded in Australia

25 Oct to 27 Oct 1988: The Australian Sex Industry and the AIDS Debate 1988

1991: New Zealand Prostitutes Collective Call for Committee to Review Sex Work Laws

1992: NSWP formally established as a network

6 Aug to 13 Aug 1994: Int'l Sex Worker Meeting at the 1994 IAC in Yokohama, Japan to discuss launch of an Asia & Pacific sex worker network

1995: Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC) set up in India

1995: Decriminalisation of Sex Work in New South Wales

20 Sep 1995: Int'l press conference - 3rd Int'l Congress on AIDS in Asia & the Pacific (ICAAP), Bangkok

1996: Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (VAMP) founded in South Maharashtra/ Northern Karnataka, India

1997: First National Conference of Sex Workers in India

1999: Sex Work And Sexual Health (SWASH) established Japan

2000: Bangladesh High Court Rules in Favour of Evicted Sex Workers

2002: Women’s Network for Unity (WNU) established in Cambodia

2002: Supreme Court of Nepal Rules that Discrimination Against Sex Workers is Unconstitutional

25 Jun 2003: Decriminalisation of Sex Work in New Zealand

1 Jan 2004: A Battle Hymn for the Sex Workers’ Revolution

8 Mar 2004: The Journey of Kumjing

18 Mar 2004: Nepalese Sex Workers Threaten Nude Protest in Kathmandu

2005: PEPFAR Anti-Prostitution Pledge introduced

2005: Friends Frangipani established in Papua New Guinea

2005: Midnight Blue established in Hong Kong and Shenzen, China

2005: Ashodaya Samithi is Formed (India)

8 Mar 2005: Pornpit Puckmai Wins Human Rights Defender Award

13 Aug to 18 Aug 2006: APNSW Premieres “One Whore” Advocacy Song at 16th IAC in Toronto, Canada

2007: GWG respond to UNAIDS Guidance Note

2007: AIDS Myanmar Association (AMA) estblished in Myanmar

2007: Nepalese Sex Workers Undertake a Semi-Naked Protest Outside Kathmandu’s Government House

2008: Survival Advocacy Network founded in Fiji

2008: Organisation of Social Change in Indonesia (OPSI) founded in Indonesia

2008: APNSW launches Bad Rehab video

2008: The National Needs Assessment for Sex Workers Living with HIV

10 Jun 2008: EMPOWER Foundation Wins Red Ribbon Award

6 Aug 2008: Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (Apnsw) Receives International Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights

30 Aug 2008: Caught Between the Tiger and the Crocodile

2009: $carlet Timor established in Timor Leste

2009: Surang Janyam Wins Human Rights Defenders Award

2009: Ashodaya Academy is Launched (India)

2010: Transgender Sex Worker Has Gender Recognised as ‘Non-Specific’

25 Sep 2010: Indian Sex Workers Produce Video Response to “Prostitutes of God” Documentary

11 Jun 2011: "Scarlet Road" Documentary Premiered

2012: Hit and Run: the Impact Anti-trafficking Policy and Practise on Sex Workers’ Human Rights in Thailand

2012: The HIV and Sex Work Collection: Innovative Responses in Asia and the Pacific Launched

2012: Vietnam Network of Sex Workers is Formed

27 Feb 2012: Last Rescue In Siam

22 Aug to 26 Aug 2012: Alternative IAC: Sex Workers Freedom Festival Held in Kolkata

25 Aug 2012: "Freedom to Work" Video Series Launched

12 Nov to 16 Nov 2012: 1st SW-ASEAN Sex Worker Summit

2013: Vietnam Closes Detention Centre Number Five

7 Apr 2013: “Yet still we dance”: Exhibition of Artworks from ASEAN Sex Workers

1 Oct 2013: Elections for current APNSW Policy and Program Committee members

26 Dec 2013: Unexpected Death of Andrew Hunter

2014: Sou Sotheavy Receives David Kato Vision and Voice Award

2014: The Rights(s) Evidence: Sex Work, Violence and HIV Research Initiative Receives Robert Carr Research Award

18 Jan 2014: Andrew Hunter Memorial

15 Feb to 17 Feb 2014: Meeting of new APNSW PCC and demarcation of new APNSW coordinators to replace Andrew Hunter

23 Oct 2014: Documentary: "Kandapara, the Lost Brothel" produced by APNSW

2 Jun to 6 Jun 2015: "Debbie Doesn’t Do It for Free" National Exhibition held in Sydney