Passed to protect women, the 2008 law on human trafficking and sexual exploitation has been used by authorities to justify the harassment and abuse of sex workers.
But, Cambodian sex workers say it’s now time to demand their rights.Hundreds are gathered in the capital of Phnom Penh.They are clapping loudly as the host welcomes the first day of 16 days of activism against gender violence.They are wearing white shirts with the slogan: “United we can end violence against women and bring the peace.”
The claim that the sex workers’ rights movement is a purely white, western phenomenon is one of abolitionism’s biggest falsehoods. In fact, Global South sex workers could teach their Northern counterparts a thing or two when it comes to organising for sex workers’ rights. Here is a videoclip of sex workers in Sonagachi, Calcutta, marching against criminalisation of their industry.
This video on YouTube has stimulated an interesting debate.
An article by Shahmanesh M, Patel V, Mabey D, Cowan F. in Trop Med Int Health 2008 May;13(5):659-79.
An article by Jana, S, Basu, I, Rotheram-Borus, M.J., and Newman, P.A in the journal AIDS Education and Prevention 16(5), 405-414.
Article by Seshu M, Hunter A, Reynaga E, Strack F, Mollet S, Morgan Thomas R, Overs C, Ditmore M, Allman D in the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review. The article describes how, in 2007, UNAIDS issued a guidance note on HIV and sex work, the tone and contents of which angered sex workers, activists and public health workers worldwide. In this article, based on presentations at the International AIDS Conference, M.
This study, by UNAIDS, describes the experiences of, and challenges faced by, five nongovernmental organizations in eastern Europe and central Asia, which developed effective practices and implemented promising HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention programmes for sex workers and their clients. The programmes’ key objectives were to decrease sex workers’ vulnerability by improving their overall well being and supporting their empowerment. It is hoped their experiences will be helpful in initiating and moving forward similar projects in low-resource settings.
An article by Odek, W.O.; Busza, J.; Morris, C.N.; Cleland, J.; Ngugi, E.N.; Ferguson, A.G in AIDS and Behavior, 2009; 13(3):449-461.
A literature review produced by Matt Greenall.
Nikat is a sex worker organisation in Ethiopia. It has developed from a small income generation project to an NGO that provides education, social support and health services in the capital and mentors 30 newly established sex workers co-operatives throughout the country
