African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) Strategic Objective III seeks to foster and nurture learning and linkages between sex worker-led organizations and networks across Africa to proactively advocate at the national, regional and global level for the dignity and human rights of sex workers in Africa.
The Outcome of this objective is increased visibility and support for sex workers’ rights in Africa and also agitation for representation and action at national and regional sector-specific programs/policies.
In lieu of the above, the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) deemed it critical for its members to participate, engage and be heard during the upcoming International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2021) in South Africa by submitting Its proposal for the ICASA 2021 Community Village. The proposals were all accepted and will be presented (please see the attached) In the community village.
The ICASA 2021 Community Village is a critical platform for advocacy and engagement. Therefore, ASWA will have a Sex Worker Networking Zone as part of the strategic objectives towards boosting meaningful participation of the community at ICASA, knowledge, information and experiences sharing. The zone aims to bring together community organisers, program managers, policy-makers, social influencers, researchers and advocates. ASWA through its members hopes to engage the audience, educate and inform them about sex work in Africa and rally support for decriminalisation. ASWA will also display and distribute its research findings on the impact of COVID-19 on sex workers’ health and other information.
ASWA has been mandated to be the coordinator of the Sex Workers Networking Zone.
Grace Kamau our Regional Coordinator graced the Sex Workers Zone with her opening remarks followed by Sex Workers Academy Africa (SWAA) program coordinator Laveria Mwai who will highlight the HIV epidemic of sex workers in Africa. Other panelists will be drawn from the following sex workers led organisations: Nigeria Sex Workers Association -Nigeria, Namibia Sex Workers Alliance (NAMSWA), We are Professional Too Sierra leone, Pilot Mathambo Centre For Men’s Health Botswana, Key Affected Populations Health and Legal Rights Alliance of Lesotho (KAPAL) Cairo 52 Legal Research Institute Egypt, Al Cameroon in Cameroon and NEKEPAH Kenya.
Link to the program here: http://icasa2021.saafrica.org/programme/community-village-programme.php
Day: Tuesday 7th Dec 2021 Time 10:30 -11:15 am South African Time (45 Minutes)
Introduction (5 minutes)
Moderator 1 : Laveria Mwai
Moderator 2 :
Opening session: Grace Kamau: ASWA Regional Coordinator: Opening remarks (5 minutes)
Session 2 Moderator: Laveria Mwai: Overview of HIV epidemic on sex workers in Africa (5 minutes)
Theme 1: Effects of COVID-19 on the health of Female sex workers in Africa.
Session 3: Amaka Enemo Oluchu – Nigeria Sex Workers Association -Nigeria
5 Minutes
Session 4: How Sex workers living with HIV access HIV services amidst COVID-19
Nora Noralla- Cairo 52 Legal Research Institute Egypt
5 Minutes
Theme 2: Innovation and Resilience of sex workers on HIV response amidst COVID-19.
Sex workers will give an overview of the innovations they engaged to continue with the HIV response which was interrupted by COVID -19.
They will also demonstrate how their resilience has supported them to continue with HIV response amidst COVID-19.
Session 1. African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA); Sex Workers Murder Monitoring Tool
ASWA will give an overview of the Sex Workers Murder Monitoring Tool for mapping murders and other violence cases which increased exponentially against sex workers in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This advocacy tool can be accessed on ASWA’s website: https://aswaalliance.org/murder-monitoring-tool/
Mobile phone Application
The Sex Workers’ Murder Monitoring Tool can also be accessed on your mobile phone.
Go to playstore, download USHAHIDI on your mobile phone.
On the top left, click the 3 white bars, click ‘Add Deployment’ and type the following
mm.aswaalliance.org
Click ‘SUBMIT SURVEY RESPONSE
Simon Mwangi: Sex Workers Community Health Expert Kenya
(10 Minutes)
Session 2: Emma Coker; We are Professional Too Sierra leone
5Minutes
Session 3: Song Performance
Memoriah -Namibia Sex Workers Alliance (NAMSWA)
5Minutes
Co-facilitators: Key messaging/ Conclusion and wrap up
Day: Wednesday 8th December 2021 Time 14:30-15:15 pm (45 Minutes)
Theme 3: Amplifying Sex Workers Voices in HIV Response
Session 1: Pilot Mathambo,
Pilot Mathambo Centre For Men’s Health Botswana
5Minutes
Session 3: Decriminalise sex work to reduce violence and improve the HIV response for sex workers
Lepheane Mosooane Key Affected Populations Health and Legal Rights Alliance of Lesotho (KAPAL)
5Minutes
Session 4: Round table discussion about peer-led initiatives for sex workers (10 minutes)
MSF Key Populations Programme
Session 5: A short video showcasing the success of a few SW led CBOs (5 minutes) MSF Key Populations Programme
Session 6: Video on sex workers’ mothers. (5 minutes) MSF Key Populations Programme
Session 7: VIDEO by African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA)
Sex Workers Academy Africa (SWAA) 24TH Participants
5 Minutes
Co-facilitators: Key messaging/ Conclusion and wrap up
Day: Friday 10th December 2021 Time 11:30-12:15 pm (45 Minutes)
Theme 4: How Sex workers living with HIV access HIV services amidst COVID-19
Session 1: The lived reality of Queer Sex Workers Living with HIV and sex workers abled differently amidst COVID-19.
Hassan AhmedCairo 52 Legal Research Institute Egypt
10 Minutes
Session 2: The lived reality of Young Sex Workers Living with HIV amidst COVID-19
Samuel Githaiga NEKEPAH Kenya
15 Minutes
Session 3: The lived reality of Sex Workers living with HIV and Using drugs amidst COVID-19
Wadjo Moussa Moise Alcameroon -Cameroon
10Minutes
Co-facilitators: Key messaging/ Conclusion and wrap up
(10 minutes)
Find the presentations here:
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