At the seventh International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), taking place from 1–6 November 2025 in the vibrant city of Bogotá, Colombia, at the Ágora Bogotá Convention Center, the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) celebrates the inspiring contribution of Silvia Akoth, from the Bar Hostess Empowerment & Support Programme (BHESP), a member organization of ASWA.
Silvia shared a compelling message during one of the conference sessions, shining a light on the often-overlooked realities of young sex workers in discussions around safe abortion access and self-managed abortion services.
“Often, the needs of sex workers are left out when discussions on access to safe abortion take place,” Silvia noted. “I had the privilege of sharing the stories of young sex workers living in informal settlements — stories filled with pain, courage, and resilience.”
Silvia highlighted the digital divide that prevents many young women from accessing vital health information and self-managed abortion resources. While digital health platforms are expanding, many young sex workers cannot afford smartphones, data bundles, or stable internet, excluding them from life-saving digital health services.
She called on funders and partners to rethink program design and implementation, ensuring that self-managed abortion programs reach those most marginalized.
“Many of these young women are left behind because of poverty, stigma, and lack of digital access,” she said. “I urged funders to support grassroots, sex worker-led organizations that are closest to the communities and understand their realities. Only then can we reach those who are most at risk.”
Silvia’s message was a powerful reminder that every day, 15 sex workers lose their lives due to unsafe abortions — a devastating statistic that underscores the urgent need for inclusion and justice in reproductive health programming.
“This is not just a statistic,” she emphasized. “These are young women whose lives matter. No one should die because safe abortion is out of reach or because of their social or economic status.”
ASWA applauds Silvia Akoth and BHESP for their continued leadership in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for sex workers in Kenya and across Africa. Their contribution at ICFP reflects the shared vision of the ASWA movement — one where sex workers are recognized as women with diverse reproductive goals, equal rights, and an inherent claim to health, dignity, and bodily autonomy.
