Sex Workers' Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)

Who do you work with?

SWAN as a regional network unites NGOs and sex worker groups in their effort to fight for human rights for sex workers. Our members work with male, female and transgender sex workers, their clients and third parties, while as a network it also targets decision-makers and builds capacity of individual sex workers' rights activitsts to be vocal about issues in their countries and our region.

How are sex workers involved in your organisation?

Sex worker groups and organisations are SWAN members and they participate in deciding SWAN strategy and take part in SWAN Steering Committee. SWAN also employs sex workers as consultants, trainers and translators.

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

Most countries in CEE/CA punish individual sex work and some of its aspects as administrative and/or criminal offence. Such situation reduces sex workers' access to health services and legal protection for fear of being arrested. It increases stigma around sex work.Human rights violations by law enforcement and medical institutions are a common nissue that needs to be addressed and stopped in SWAN region.

Describe other areas of your work

- Human and labour rights of all sex workers
- Health, sexual and reproductive health and rights of all sex workers
- Documenting, exposing and reducing violence against sex workers
- Increasing and securing the access and availability of high quality services for sex workers in the region
- Strenghtening the leadership and involvement of sex workers and their groups in decision making processes on national and international levels

Region
Country
Hungary