Decriminalisation Policy Project

 ASWA in collaboration with Accountability International launched the Africa Regional Campaign – dubbed ‘Simama’ – aimed to raise awareness on criminalisation in Africa based on identity, sexuality, morality and bodily autonomy, and its impact on the attainment of the global commitments of ending AIDS by 2030 and the related sustainable development goals. ‘Simama’ is a Swahili word for ‘stand up/rise up.’ The campaign focused on criminalisation in  adult sex work among others.

 As part of ensuring the success of Simama, ASWA  assumes that it is important to start by informing and highlighting the importance of challenging criminalisation and its impact on individual sex workers and their access to social justice, health and human rights. This included the development of a Decriminalisation policy brief and will continue in 2021 with the development of a simplified community guide. ASWA has also started to develop a communication strategy to support members advocating for decriminalisation.