NSWP - WHO Community Consultation Report - updated

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Year
2012

This document has been updated following discussions at the consensus meeting on the need to highlight explicitly the responses provided on collective empowerment. 

The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) oversaw a civil society consultation of sex workers commissioned by the WHO to gather feedback on their proposed guidelines for evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low- and middle-income countries.

The NSWP report, entitled 'Female, Male and Transgender Sex Workers' Perspectives on HIV & STI Prevention and Treatment Services: a global sex worker consultation' summarises the findings from that consultation as follows: 

This report summarises the findings from that consultation as follows:

  • Sex workers identified the following barriers to accessing HIV and STI related services: criminalisation, penalisation and repression of sex work, same-sex activity and gender expression; mandatory testing; discrimination and mistreatment within the health sector; exclusion of male and transgender sex workers; inappropriate and inadequate services; and funds diverted to programmes that have no evidence-base.
  • Sex workers identified the following necessary steps to improve access to HIV and STI prevention and treatment: decriminalisation, depenalisation and non-repressive policy; HIV interventions in line with human rights standards; collective empowerment; recognition of sex work as work; comprehensive programmes; and sex worker-led strategies.
  • Sex workers unanimously supported: condom promotion for sex workers; periodic voluntary
    screening for STIs; voluntary counselling and testing; and ARV treatment according to guidelines that apply to the general adult population.
  • Sex worker strongly supported: condom promotion for clients.
  •  Sex workers strongly rejected: mandatory testing, periodic presumptive treatment for STIs (PPT) and provider-Initiated testing.

You can download this 22 page PDF report above. This resource is in English.