In This Newsletter (Jul–Sep 2024): ASWA takes a firm stand against the recent UN Special Rapporteur’s report on sex work, criticizing its misrepresentation of sex workers’ rights and the harmful conflation of sex work with trafficking.
At the AIDS 2024 conference in Munich, ASWA hosted a powerful session highlighting how criminalization blocks access to HIV services, reinforcing the need for urgent decriminalization.
We deepened global solidarity through a week-long exchange with APNSW, sharing insights from our Sex Worker Academy. This quarter also included a strategic visit from Frontline AIDS’ Executive Director, John Plastow, who witnessed firsthand the challenges sex workers face in Majengo, Nairobi.
ASWA’s team advanced advocacy efforts through regional training on integrating SRHR and HIV into Universal Health Coverage. We also celebrated the empowering work of Ready Movement Zimbabwe on Sex Worker Pride Day and welcomed support from the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) team to strengthen our organizational systems.
Finally, personal stories from alumni of the Sex Workers Academy Africa (SWAA)—like Kondwani Chapola and Dameless Dzingomvera—highlight ongoing efforts to empower male and female sex workers to claim their rights, engage in national policy processes, and build a future rooted in dignity and inclusion.
In this issue (Jul–Sep 2024), ASWA firmly condemns the recent UN Special Rapporteur’s report for misrepresenting sex workers’ rights and conflating sex work with trafficking. We highlight the critical role of decriminalization in advancing health and human rights, as emphasized during our session at AIDS 2024 in Munich. This quarter also features global solidarity through our exchange with APNSW, advocacy training on SRHR and HIV integration, and powerful grassroots leadership stories from graduates of the Sex Workers Academy. Together, we continue to amplify voices, challenge stigma, and build a future grounded in dignity and justice.
