In this newsletter, we reflect on a turbulent start to 2025, as sex workers across Africa endure the fallout from the suspension of U.S. foreign aid. The African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) has stepped up in response—leading urgent advocacy, launching powerful research, and providing life-saving support amidst growing insecurity and funding cuts.
This quarter, ASWA released a landmark report exposing the devastating impact of the aid freeze on sex worker-led organizations, HIV services, and community outreach. With clinics closed, supplies dwindling, and lives on the line, ASWA’s call for a Sex Worker Resilience Fund and emergency interventions has never been more critical. Through high-level engagements at CSW69, the FCAA summit, and our regional webinars, we’re pushing for justice and accountability.
On the ground, our members in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, and beyond continue to organize against rising violence, stigma, and the collapse of essential services. Despite conflict, displacement, and neglect, sex worker communities are holding strong—demanding their rights, amplifying their voices, and standing in solidarity.
In every story shared—from Monrovia to Bukavu—we’re reminded of the courage it takes to survive in systems that criminalize and marginalize. ASWA will not relent. We remain committed to protecting the health, rights, and dignity of all sex workers—because their lives matter, and their voices will be heard.
