Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda

Who do you work with?

Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda is principally a rural transgender youth women, transgender youth sex work and gender diverse organization that directly targets and advocates for the rights of rural transgender youth women, transgender youth sex workers, gender non conforming youth, gender non conforming sex workers and intersex youth with a main focus on rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming sex workers in western Uganda.

How are sex workers involved in your organisation?

At Trans Youth Initiative-Uganda rural transgender youth women, transgender youth sex workers, gender non conforming youth, gender non conforming youth sex workers and intersex youth are at the centre of decision making ,leadership and management .The leadership is comprised of rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming sex workers to oversee that programming ,decision making and management targets and is inclusive of rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers.

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 work is a way of earning a living for many rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers but it is also life threatening. Sex workers in Uganda have continued to be at heightened risk of experiencing violence. But for rural sex workers and more so rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers, their exposure to human rights abuse, violations, stigma, criminalization, oppression and denial of access to sexual reproductive health and rights services is almost double. Rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers have remained one of the most vulnerable and marginalized population groups facing multiple human rights violations coupled with discrimination and stigma. The criminalization of sex work in Uganda also affects rural transgender youth sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers, the current punitive laws don’t protect their rights, other Laws affecting rural transgender youth sex workers and gender diverse youth sex workers include the penal code (chapter 9,sec 136-139) , The Registration of Persons Act 2015, The HIV Prevention and Control Act 2014, The Non-governmental Organisation Act 2016 among many others. All the above laws contribute to the continuous and routine violence, human rights abuses, violations, stigma, criminalization, oppression and denial of access to sexual reproductive health and rights services.

Describe other areas of your work

Amplifying the voices, issues and concerns of rural transgender sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers in the Uganda sex worker movement and the society. Challenge repressive punitive laws and policies that impede on all human rights including health rights of rural transgender sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers. Enhance and increase access to health services through support in provision of essential supplies, referral and HIV prevention strategies for rural transgender sex workers and gender non conforming youth sex workers.

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乌干达