News Archive: March 2017

Penzi, who is a paralegal with “Sisters of Majengo,” a community-based organisation that promotes health and human rights for female sex workers through advocacy, trainings on sexual reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment and community outreach in Majengo, lives in an urban settlement in Kenya and has been in the business for 24 years as an indoor sex worker.

31 March 2017

Key affected communities in India have expressed disappointment following the introduction of the “HIV/AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill,” which passed through the Rajya Sabha on 21 March. Community members have spoken out saying it allows governments to escape their obligation to provide complete treatment to people living with HIV. Article 21 [Right to Life] of the Indian Constitution was previously used to hold the government accountable and advocate for rights to life saving treatment. However, a clause in the new law means that government can argue that their commitment is to provide treatment ‘as far as possible.’

27 March 2017

SWAN members marked the International Sex Workers’ Rights Day on 3 March and the International Women's’ Day on 8 March.

27 March 2017

An application for mobile phones was developed for sex workers in Russia. The application is called Red Umbrella (Красный Зонт) and its goal is to inform male, female and transgender sex workers about their rights, sexually transmitted infections, about the history of sex workers’ movement in Russia and in the world.

15 March 2017

NSWP endorses Empower Foundation, Thailand and the English Collective of Prostitutes' call for sex worker participation during the Women's Strike on 8 March. This statement is being released on International Sex Workers' Rights Day. Their statement can be found below.

3 March 2017