PRESS STATEMENT IN COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL SEX WORKERS’ DAY: ADDRESSING ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR SEX WORKERS IN UGANDA

Tuesday June 04, 2024

Kampala-Uganda

The Alliance of Women Advocating for Change (AWAC) a sex work led organization joins the world to commemorate international sex workers day. The International Sex Workers Day, observed on June 2nd, holds an important place in advocating for the rights, safety, and well-being of sex workers globally.

Decriminalizing sex work means sex workers are more likely to live without stigma, social exclusion, and fear of violence. We urge authorities to prioritize the protection of marginalized women, including sex workers, who are disproportionately exposed to multiple and newer forms of targeted violence and therefore victims in this matter.

In a world where women, female sex workers, and sexual and gender-diverse people continue to face pervasive gender-based violence, investing in their human rights, sexual reproductive health rights, and well-being is not just a moral imperative but a pathway to achieving true progress. We cannot claim to be advocating for Sustainable Development Goals, National Development Plan and all HIV related responses yet we are leaving specific marginalized groups of the community for instance sex workers behind.

According to the Uganda police annual crime report 2022, a total of 17,698 country-wide Gender Based Violence cases with related murders were reported for women. The Demographic and Health Survey 2016, indicates that women are more than twice as likely to experience violence as opposed to their male counterparts.

Uganda AIDS Commission (2019), Synthesis consolidation and building consensus on key and priority population size estimation reports that an estimated 130,359 FSWs in Uganda operate in a criminalized environment. This environment has exposed FSWs to a disproportionate burden of gender inequalities, HIV infection, stigma, discrimination and systemic exclusion, GBV, mental health problems and other life threatening challenges. According to a study on Prevalence and factors associated with major depression among female sex workers in post-conflict Gulu district: it reveals that 47.7% of the FSWs had major depression,. with more than half of those with major depression having severe depression reported.

We call on the Uganda government and ministry of health to make the metal health program a wider reach for all since currently its only in two districts.

We also need the government to sensitize its state officials on human rights and the need for them to ensure justice and protection for all.

To involve sex workers in the government development projects like the parish development model and NAADs programmes since sex workers have actively running SACCOs.

In conclusion this Day inspires and motivates change, encouraging stakeholders to address the challenges faced by sex workers and work towards a future where their rights are respected and their well-being is prioritized.

Check the details of the statement on this link: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=67f38fc78b04ffb136efdf6ba&id=b04382167a