Coast Sex Workers Alliance (COSWA-Kenya)

Contact email
Who do you work with?

female and transgender sex workers. PLHIV and PWID sex workers, Migrant sex workers, clients, third parties, families, and partners.

How are sex workers involved in your organisation?

COSWA-K strengthens the capacity of sex workers and groups led by sex workers at the Coast Region. COSWA-K also advocates for Oral PrEP through demand creation for PrEP services and also behavior change as a safer sex practice. We empower both individual and groups of sex workers through trainings in regards to sex workers well-being. Inclusion and involvement of sex workers in public participation during policy formulation , budgetary forums, national events e.g World AIDS Day, December 17, International condoms Day etc. at the sub county, county and national level. Sex workers are also empowered on financial literacy and economic empowerment through trainings on income generating activities. COSWA-K follows up sex workers cases through trained paralegals.

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
Critique the trafficking paradigm that conflates representations of sex work, migration, and mobility
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

Sex workers at the Coast still face arbitrary arrests and harassment by the police. Stigma and discrimination, Sexual assaults and denial of better health care.

Describe other areas of your work

-Research and Documentation
-Legal services

Region
Country
Kenya