Reflections of FSW on Labor Day: Unrecognized Contributions of some categories of workers in a country criminalizing sex work

Reflections of FSW on Labor Day: Unrecognized Contributions of some categories of workers in a country criminalizing sex work

As the world celebrates Labor Day, a day dedicated to honouring the hard work and contributions of all workers across various industries, it is crucial to shine a light on particular groups often marginalized and overlooked for example, Sex workers! In countries like Uganda, where sex work is criminalized and stigmatized, as sex workers, we sweat and toil in the shadows of other workers, facing immense risks and challenges yet we make substantial contributions to our Ugandan economy and support our families.

Some people refer to us as ‘commercial sex workers’ and that is perhaps because they recognise the commerce and trade, we engage it. Indeed, like any other workers, we make incomes and expenditures which means, we have great contributions to the flow of money in the economy. Throughout the country, sex workers make tax contributions like any other Ugandan on all that they purchase or consume. The sex industry, includes bars, lodges, tourism and travel, however, all these other subsections of the sex industry are not criminalised and all that was chosen to be criminalised is where a woman decide to earn a living off their body without harming any other person. In fact, body builders who also earn off their bodies are not criminalised, and this is because they are usually men! It is an issue of patriarchy and control of the woman’s body! Scholars like Schaffauser (2015) and Cohen et al. (2013) have noted that “sex work and bodywork” should not be viewed as distinct from other types of employment within the labour framework, instead, treat them like any other form of physical labour or general employment. Afterall, in most instances, individuals engage in any kind of work not out of absolute choice but due to economic necessity to take care of their families and economic growth.

In Uganda where sex work is criminalised, the labour of sex workers is made not only invisible, unrecognized and undervalued but also made shameful and regarded immoral. Yet, the economic impact of sex workers’ work cannot be ignored. Female sex workers generate income that sustains not only us and our families but also the communities we live by a landlord earning off my income through house rent, bar and lodge owners, purchase of goods and services and contributing to local economies e.g. buying market items etc just like any other workers.

However, sex work contributions remain unacknowledged, unvalued and unprotected by labour laws. It is to this reason that female sex workers are not even able to gain from national social security fund despite working from early age to aging. Despite the stigma and unfavourable legal environment, we persist in labour, toiling to provide for our families and economic growth. From our experience as an organization, we understand that many women engage in sex work out of economic necessity, often as the sole breadwinners for their households and extended families. They face the same pressures to put food on the table, pay bills and ensure a better future for their children as any other worker in the country. Yet, their profession is met with discrimination, violence and legal repercussions.

One of the most pressing issues female sex workers encounter is the dangerous working conditions filled with risks perpetuated by criminalization. Because our profession exists outside the bounds of legal protection in the country, we end up being vulnerable to exploitation, distortion, abuse and violence. Fear of arrest and prosecution prevents sex workers from accessing essential health and safety commodities, deter regular health check-ups and reporting incidents of violence including sexual violence. Female sex workers are forced to work in hidden spaces, isolated from support networks, making them easy targets for perpetrators and criminals.

Moreover, criminalization of sex work exacerbates existing inequalities, disproportionately impacting majorly already vulnerable women eg those with disabilities, those from low social background, those using and injecting drugs, those in refugee settings, those in high-risk settings like borders and slums among others hence perpetuating cycles of poverty and oppression! However, like Cohen et al. (2013:15) notes; the organization of the labour processes in sex work significantly influences both the consumer market and the relationships within it. Therefore, if the policies are criminalising, sex workers will continue to be vulnerable in the hands of clients and bar owners but if it is decriminalised, it joins other labour factors of demand and supply determining.

On this Labor Day, it is imperative to recognize and respect the labour rights of all workers, including female sex workers. Instead of criminalization, policies should prioritize the protection and empowerment of sex workers, ensuring their safety, health, inclusion and dignity. Decriminalization of sex work is not only a matter of human rights but also a practical approach to improving public health, reducing GBV and promoting social justice in Uganda!

On this day, we also want to spotlight the AWAC initiative of the Community Health and Livelihoods Enhancement Groups (CHLEGs), which we are using to ensure that FSW are able to tap into economic diversification, make savings because we know there is no NSSF for FSW and make investments to support our old age.

As we commemorate Labor Day, today, we call upon the general public, authorities and policy makers to remember the invisible labour of female sex workers and reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal rights, dignity, and well-being of all workers including sex workers. Only by challenging stigma, discrimination, and criminalization can we create a more inclusive and just society where every worker is valued, protected and respected.

By the Alliance of Women Advocating for Change – ) a feminist umbrella network of grassroots Female Sex Worker (FSW) led groups, organizations and collectives in Uganda established in 2015 by & for FSWs to respond to FSWs’ integrated quality HIV/SRHR/GBV & mental health services, capacity strengthening in feminist leadership and grassroot movement building; research, documentation and gender equality advocacy; challenge the multiple facets of criminalization and stigmatization of sex workers, address the socio-economic deprivation and shrinking civic space. AWAC Mission: “To build a resilient movement of female sex workers’ that advocates for sustainable integrated universal health care, promotion of human rights and social protection, economic justice for FSWs and those with intersecting & Compounded vulnerabilities in Uganda”. AWAC Vision: “An inclusive policy and social environment where grassroots FSWs and those with intersecting & compounded vulnerabilities live healthy and productive lives that are free from human rights abuse in Uganda”.