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The Advisory Group offers a greater understanding of the situation of sex workers – an understanding that is necessary to address the abuses they face and to ensure they have universal access to HIV services. Every effort has been made to highlight good practices that enhance human rights protections for sex workers, as well as practices that create barriers to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Economics and Development Theme:  Gender and Sexuality Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Theme:  Migration and Mobility 20111215_Report-UNAIDS-Advisory-group-HIV-Sex-Work_en.pdf Author:  UNAIDS and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects Relevant URL:  Link to the report online

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Sex work is an important feature of the transmission dynamics of HIV within early, advanced and regressing epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa.

HIV prevalence among sex workers and their clients is commonly 20 fold higher than the general population.

Together, these factors may contribute to a differential in HIV transmission potential of more than 1000 times compared with lower-risk populations. Yet, in much of Africa, there is little evidence that transmission of HIV and other STIs in sex work settings has been controlled.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Author:  World Health Organisation Relevant URL:  http://www.afro.who.int/en/clusters-a-programmes/dpc/acquired-immune-deficiency-...

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Report and recommendations from the UN's  first Asia and the Pacific Regional Consultation on HIV and Sex Work.The report contains some very good material as well as evidence of the compromises sex workers rights advocates must accept if they to reach consencus with UN and government agencies 

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Author:  APNSW, UNFPA, UNAIDS Relevant URL:  http://asiapacific.unfpa.org/webdav/site/asiapacific/shared/Publications/2011/Bu...

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It’s 4 years ago this week that Carol Jenkins, one of the strongest supporters of sex workers rights and HIV programs in this region died. Carol was a close friend to many in the APNSW extended family. Her research skills are sorely missed, but more than this we miss the way her house in Bangkok [...]

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Sheila Farmer, a sex worker who worked with other women from premises for safety had charges of brothel-keeping dismissed today in Croydon Crown Court. She worked with other women since being viciously raped and attacked whilst working alone.
 
Ms Farmer left court with over 20 supporters delighted and relieved that she no longer faces a criminal conviction and possible prison sentence. Ms Farmer suffers from severe diabetes and a malignant brain tumour. Her doctor had provided evidence that an onerous and stressful trial would have exacerbated her condition.
 

Year of publication:  2012 Theme:  Human Rights and Law Relevant URL:  English Collective of Prostitutes

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Article in Interface: a journal for and about social movements, Volume 3(2): 271 - 287 (November 2011).

Despite the massive achievements of the Prostitutes Collective of Victoria and the historic significance of this important organisation, sex workers as a community and the funds we had attracted drew an unhealthy level of interest from the health and community sector, stemming from a perception that sex workers were politically unable to run their own collective, and that the funds we had lobbied for could be better spent by people who were not sex workers.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Author:  Elena Jeffreys, Audry Autonomy, Jane Green, Christian Vega Relevant URL:  Download the article for free

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By Anna-Louisa Crago
What is the Global Commission on HIV and the Law (GCHL)?
It is a commission put in place by the UN to study the impact of different laws on HIV-prevention, treatment and care. It also studies the impact of laws on discrimination and violence against people living with HIV or at high-risk of HIV.

The commissioners are a group of highly respected individuals and experts from around the world and include former heads of state, judges and policy experts. They are advised by a committee of technical experts with extensive knowledge about HIV and the law.

The commission is particular because it is independent of the UN. That means that the commissioners can come to their own conclusions, even if coutries within the UN or UN workers disagree with these.

What does the GCHL have to do with SWAN?

Individuals and groups from the CEE/CA, as well as other regions,were invited to submit testimony about the impact of different laws and HIV. SWAN submitted a submission that tried to include experiences from all across the region. Many other SWAN groups individually submitted such as HOPS (Macedonia), Lega-Life (Ukraine) and HESED (Bulgaria).

In the end, Odyseus (Slovakia), SZEXE (Hungary), TAIS PLUS (Kyrgyzstan), Association for Assistance (Russia) and SWAN were accepted to present in front of the commissioners at a regional meeting in Moldova in May, 2011.

How did SWAN prepare?

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By Marija Tosheva, HOPS

In late June, 2011 the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, hosted a meeting in Budapest for 30 delegates from the countries of Central and South East Europe (SWAN was also represented), with supporters from Western Europe, to launch the Network of Low Prevalence Countries in Central and South East Europe – NeLP (http://nelp-hiv.org/budapest-declaration).

The general conclusion of the delegates was that national governments and the general population in our region don’t yet see HIV as a major problem. With fewer people living with HIV, fewer supporters and fewer medical staff, the capacity to respond to HIV in our countries is muted. With less overall societal impact, the perceived need to respond is less urgent.

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By Petra Timmermans, ICRSE Coordinator and Rayna Dimitrova, HESED

Recently in Bulgaria sex workers have taken the first tentative steps to mobilising for their rights.
On 29 August plans were put into place for a demonstration in response to recent police activity that has focused on arresting and detaining sex workers working along the main ring road around Sofia. Charges related to immoral behavior and/or causing traffic accidents are being used in what could be described as an attempt to rid Sofia of prostitutes. However, the demonstration did not take place as planned. Although around 20 sex workers showed up there were so many journalists taking photographs that most of the women became nervous and left.

Some news clippings in Bulgarian:
• http://www.dnes.bg
• http://dariknews.bg
• http://bnt.bghttp://tv7.bg

Briefly it is said in these videos that sex workers in Sofia organize a protest against the police activity because recently all outdoor sex workers were detained by the police for 24 hours and were not able to do sex work. They want their profession to be legalized, to pay taxes and to be able to work undisturbed. These are mostly independent sex workers who have no pimps and work for themselves.

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By Aliya Rakhmetova
Beginning of November 2011, Ukrainian Verhovnaya Rada (a supreme body similar to Parliament) reviewed a bill on changing the legislation around ‘prostitution’. In the background note, Mogilev, the Minister of Interior, writes that the reason for the reform is the fact that existing legislation is not working (news article link http://cripo.com.ua/index.php?sect_id=10&aid=125635 ).

According to the authors of the bill, right now only city administrative committees (within city executive body) can deal with these cases, the village committees are not authorized to take the case. Since the cases should be addressed by the executive bodies in the location where the person is officially registered, most of cases on individual sex work remain unaddressed because most of fined sex workers come from smaller towns and villages.

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off THE military regime in Fiji is taking on a new target: sex workers

A report published today by the University of NSW says sex workers, especially in Lautoka, the centre of Fiji’s sugar industry, north of Nadi, have been rounded up by the military and subjected to sleep deprivation, humiliation and forced physical labour.

Karen McMillan, a researcher with the International HIV Research Group at UNSW, said the sex workers were held in outdoor pens at an army base, woken every three hours and made to do duck-walks and squat in the mud.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Risky_Business.pdf Author:  Karen McMillan and Heather Worth

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Passed to protect women, the 2008 law on human trafficking and sexual exploitation has been used by authorities to justify the harassment and abuse of sex workers.

But, Cambodian sex workers say it’s now time to demand their rights.Hundreds are gathered in the capital of Phnom Penh.They are clapping loudly as the host welcomes the first day of 16 days of activism against gender violence.They are wearing white shirts with the slogan: "United we can end violence against women and bring the peace."

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law WNU Anti Violence Protest 2011.doc Author:  WNU

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The claim that the sex workers’ rights movement is a purely white, western phenomenon is one of abolitionism’s biggest falsehoods. In fact, Global South sex workers could teach their Northern counterparts a thing or two when it comes to organising for sex workers’ rights. Here is a videoclip of sex workers in Sonagachi, Calcutta, marching against criminalisation of their industry.

Theme:  Gender and Sexuality Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law

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Heavy-handed comments have been thrown around labeling Thailand as the “brothel of the world,” or “Disneyland for men.” Of course, there are no official figures as to the total number of sex workers in Thailand, but a moderate figure from Thai analysts puts the number at 15,000-22,000 women (with a very small portion consisting of men.) As such, Thailand has a very strong reputation for being a nation with a massive amount of prostitution and sex trafficking.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Author:  Kyle Merrit Ludowitz Relevant URL:  http://beyondyourdoorstep.blogspot.com/2011/11/can-do-sex-worker-collective.html

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This article originally appeared in the Metro Newspaper on the 29 November 2011.

‘I’m not ashamed. I’m truly proud of what I do,’ says Elena Reynaga. ‘Through my work, I created possibilities for my children, opportunities I didn’t have myself. My children went to school, got jobs. I have nothing to be ashamed of.’

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Relevant URL:  Read the full story in the Metro

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At its 25th Board Meeting in Ghana, 20-22 November, the Global Fund Board decided to cancel Round 11, its funding opportunity for countries to put forward ambitious proposals for scale-up of HIV/AIDS, TB and/or malaria programs, National Strategies and health systems strengthening. The reason for this is lack of money and unwillingness by the donors [...]

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Some people want a world without prostitution and campaign for the criminalisation of our clients. I always argue that the criminalisation of our clients is not going to make us disappear but make our work more clandestine, more dangerous and potentially make us lose (part of) our income.

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Last month APNSW members decided to paint a mural to represent the problems sex workers have with GFATM programmes but also to give ideas for how they can be fixed so that GFATM money is used responsibly and ethically on programmes addressing sex work and HIV. Left side of the banner is the way programmes [...]

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Eurasian Harm Reduction Network followed the initiative of Latin American groups and developed a petition to the Global Fund's (GF) Board in advance of their meeting next week to express their concerns over potential negative implications of the GF reform following the recommendations of the High Level Panel. It started off as a regional initiative in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, but has now grown to represent broader regional concerns and focus on the communities of key affected populations.

If you think it is important that GF continues its work in Latin America, Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia and in Asia Pacific, please sign the online petition today (by November 18 midnight) here http://www.itpcorg.ru/petitions/petitions_204.html .

For the full text of petition in English scroll down the page.
To sign the petition click the link "Subscribe" and fill in your information.

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There is very little information about the role of Identity Documents in how sex workers access health services and the protection of their human rights. This article from India addresses this important issue.

Year of publication:  2011 Theme:  Health and HIV Theme:  Human Rights and Law Author:  DNA Relevant URL:  The DNAIndia website

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