Grantee-Partners Map

Alianza Mexicana de Trabajadoras Sexuales (AMETS)

Mexico

Local

Spanish

Founded in 2017, this self-led group in Mexico City unites diverse women sex workers, including trans women and women working on the streets, in their fight against stigma and discrimination and for the recognition of sex work as work. With this grant, AMETS is organising workshops for sex workers on human rights, public health from a political perspective, access to justice and safety, and leadership. The groups distributes condoms and conducts peer outreach to promote HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights among sex workers.

Anonymous

ANON

Anonymous

ANON

Anonymous

ANON

Anonymous

ANON

Anonymous

ANON

Anonymous

ANON

Ashraya

India

Local, Subnational

English

This organisation was established in 2007 to support and represent sex workers living with HIV in India. Most of its members and activities are in the state of Karnataka. The group builds human rights awareness among its community and works with sex workers, health care providers and government officials to improve sex workers’ access to HIV and other health and social services. Ashraya works with the Ministry of Women and Child Development to improve access to housing and income supplements.

Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW)

Regional Network - Thailand based

International

English

This regional network has 32 active organisational members in 23 countries that work together to promote the human rights of sex workers of all genders in Asia and the Pacific. APNSW conducts advocacy with regional intergovernmental bodies and the United Nations. The network provides training and technical support to its members on human rights, quality HIV and health services, setting up sex worker-led legal services and developing advocacy strategies.

Asociación de Mujeres ‘Las Golondrinas’

Nicaragua

Local

Spanish

This sex worker group in the north of Nicaragua was founded in 2004. Golondrinas promotes the recognition of sex work as work through public campaigns and by building human rights knowledge and skills of women and trans sex workers. Considering the effects of the political crisis and high levels of violence against human rights defenders in the country, the group is prioritising building self care and peer support mechanisms.

Asociación de Mujeres Meretrices de la República Argentina (AMMAR)

Argentina

National

Spanish

This network advocates at national level and through its provincial branches for the human rights of sex workers in Argentina. With nearly 25 years of experience, the network has a strong presence in the sex work community and relatively high visibility among the general public. AMMAR was a founding member of RedTraSex, the Latin American and Caribbean Female Sex Workers Network. With this grant the network will hold an international convening of sex worker-led labour unions.

Asociación de Trabajadoras Sexuales, Miluska, Vida y Dignidad

Peru

National

Spanish

This sex worker-led group has been working without previous funding for over 15 years for the recognition of sex work as work. Miluska Vida y Dignidad collaborates with a legal advisor to denounce police violence against sex workers and respond to arrests. The group collaborates with other activists in the country and the region to share experiences and conduct joint advocacy for the human rights of sex workers. By setting up a transit house, the group will provide direct support to women sex workers who have experienced violenc

Centro de Informacion para la Prevencion, Movilizacion y Asesoramiento (CIPMAC)

Brazil

Local

Spanish

This sex worker-led group in the State of Paraiba in in the Northeast of Brazil was set up in 1987. CIPMAC speaks out on the right to self-organize, sex workers’ rights and social justice. With this grant the group will build sex workers’ understanding of politics and human rights and organize meetings to influence government representatives at municipal and state levels The group is well connected to the wider sex workers’ rights movement in the country.

Coalition Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre pour le travail du sexe (CAFOC-TS)

Regional Network - Senegal Based

International

French

Formed in 2015, this network of 21 sex worker-led organisations in 14 countries in West and Central Africa focuses on building the leadership of sex workers in Francophone Africa. CAFOC-TS works to harmonise sex workers’ rights advocacy in the region and to document and share the successes of its members. The network collaborates with the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) and Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) to better address the specific needs of Francophone sex workers.

Colectivo de Prostitutas de Sevilla (CPS)

Spain

Local

Spanish

This self-led group of sex workers was created in 2017 to challenge the restrictive municipal law on sex work in the province of Seville. CPS gives presentations at universities and organises parties and demonstrations to raise awareness among the general public about the realities and needs of sex workers. With this grant, CPS is bringing together sex workers’ rights activists from across the country to foster solidarity and peer support and develop joint strategies to improve the human rights of sex workers in Spain.

HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre (HARC)

Bangladesh

Local, National

English

HARC represents over 5,000 women sex workers mainly in the capital city Dhaka. The group works to improve sex workers’ health by conducting peer outreach and condom distribution, building sex workers’ knowledge on HIV and STIs and by providing referrals to services. The group builds sex workers’ skills in human rights advocacy and collaborates with the National Human Rights Commission and other allies to lobby for changes in laws and policies that negatively impact on sex workers’ lives. They were featured for their COVID-19 response on Australian TV: https://www.dw.com/en/covid-19-special-bangladeshs-sex-workers/av-59050940

Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA)

Kenya

National

English

This national network unites and represents sex worker-led organisations in all 47 counties of Kenya. KESWA organises media boot camps and builds leadership skills of its members. The network trains sex workers as paralegals and human rights defenders to improve sex workers’ access to justice. KESWA is working towards a strategic litigation case to decriminalize sex work in the country and is developing a security plan to address violence against sex workers.

Mahila Sahayogi Samuha (MSS)

Nepal

Local

English

This local self-led organisation in the east of the country was set up in 2008 to address the specific needs of female sex workers. The group includes sex workers living with HIV and people who use drugs and the majority of its more than 300 members are illiterate. MSS works to build sex workers’ understanding of human rights. The group is connected to other sex worker groups and allies and reaches out to the local government to end stigma and violence against sex workers and increase the recognition of sex work as work among service providers and government.

Organización de Trabajadoras Nocturnas Bolivia (OTN-B)

Bolivia

National

Spanish

With over 17,000 members across the nine departments of Bolivia, this sex worker-led organisation works to end stigma and discrimination against sex workers. Created in 2000, this group unites diverse sex workers of all genders and sexual orientations and includes indigenous sex workers. With this grant, OTN-B will set up a telephone hotline to support sex workers facing violence. The group will organise departmental and national convenings of sex workers to strengthen community engagement and build advocacy capacity in support of a new law to regulate sex work in Bolivia.

Parapli Rouz

Mauritius

Local, National

English

This group builds sex workers’ knowledge and skills on human rights and advocacy with the aim to have sex work recognised as work in Mauritius. Parapli Rouz provides legal support to sex workers to protect their right to carry condoms and to be able to maintain custody of their children. The group also offers peer education and HIV testing among sex workers across the island with their outreach caravan.

Pow Wow

Zimbabwe

Local, National

English

This local group of sex workers of all genders was created in 2014. It is a founding member of the national network of sex workers in the country and a member of the regional network, the African Sex Workers Alliance. Pow Wow led the successful effort to outlaw solicitation arrests of female sex workers and aims to expand the ruling to apply to all genders. The group conducts peer outreach and holds themed bi-weekly dialogues with sex workers to foster solidarity among the diverse sex workers that it brings together.

SafeSpace London

Canada

Local

English

This community drop-in centre is run by and for women – including trans – and non-binary sex workers and allies. SafeSpace focuses on improving the living conditions of sex workers in their community. The group provides harm reduction supplies, hygiene products, educational resources and peer support. Through their ‘Not Your Rescue Project’ theatre production, SafeSpace educates students at colleges and universities about sex workers’ human rights. At national level, the group participates in the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform.

Sangharsha Mahila Samuha (SMS)

Nepal

Local, Subnational

English

This women-led sex worker organisation in Bhaktapur District in the east of the Kathmandu Valley was set up in 2010 to promote the health and human rights of sex workers. The group works together with other organisations to improve access for sex workers to health services including HIV and STI treatment and safe abortion services. SMS will take action during the international 16 days of activism against gender based violence campaign to address violence against sex workers.

Strong Ladies

Vietnam

Local

English

This organisation of young trans women sex workers was established in 2013 as a local self-help group. Strong Ladies is the only organisation formed by and for trans women sex workers in Ho Chi Minh City. The group provides HIV prevention information and services to sex workers and collaborates with the Vietnam Network of Sex Workers (VNSW) to promote the human rights of sex workers. The group is expanding their health interventions for transgender sex workers and will provide consultation on sexual health via live-streams.

Suriname Coalition of Sex Workers (SUCOS)

Suriname

National

English

Created in 2015, this group unites diverse sex workers including trans people, migrant workers, and people living with HIV. SUCOS promotes the human rights of sex workers by pursuing decriminalisation of sex work and combating stigma against sex workers in Suriname. The group educates community members, law enforcement officers and religious leaders about sex workers’ rights. By training its members in how to engage with media, the group aims to raise visibility for their messages.

TAMPEP – European Network for the Promotion of Rights and Health among Migrant Sex Workers

Regional Network - Finland Based

International

English

This self-led European network promotes the human rights of migrant sex workers at local, national and regional levels in Europe. To support its advocacy, the network documents and shares the stories, good practices and needs of its members, develops position papers, and supports sex workers’ presence in key advocacy spaces. TAMPEP actively reaches out to other migrants’ rights organisations to build alliances and collaborate for migrants’ rights in Europe.

The Red Edition – Migrant Sex Work Group

Austria

Subnational, National

English

Established in 2015, The Red Edition unites sex workers of all genders, identities and ethnic backgrounds with a particular focus on migrant sex workers. The group conducts regular community meetings and outreach activities. The Red Edition advocates for the recognition of sex work as work among policy makers and the labour union in Austria. With this grant The Red Edition will explore social entrepreneurship opportunities to enhance the sustainability of the group in the future.

Uganda Network of Sex Worker-Led Organisations (UNESO)

Uganda

National

English

This network was established in 2015 to develop a common vision and mission among sex worker-led organisations across Uganda. It creates safe spaces where sex workers can convene in a country with high levels of violence against sex workers and LGBTQ people. UNESO maps sex worker organisations in rural areas and provides leadership, fundraising, and financial management training for sex workers. By arranging meetings with government officials, UNESO works to ensure national policies align with the UN campaign to “Leave No One Behind”.

Whose Corner Is It Anyway (WCIIA)

United States

Local

English

This local weekly community initiative has been self-funded through a crowdfunding campaign since 2017. Members are current or former low income sex workers who either use drugs, have experienced homelessness, or have engaged in street-based work. WCIAA offers transportation assistance, a stipend, childcare, toiletry items, clothing, access to harm reduction supplies and bail emergency response. Meetings include workshops addressing members’ self-determined needs.

Zambia Sex Workers Alliance (ZASWA)

Zambia

Local, National

English

This sex worker-led organisation works with trained community champions in six districts to improve the quality of life of sex workers in Zambia. ZASWA provides local community saving schemes and workshops on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The group provides trainings on human rights and community organising for sex workers and awareness raising workshops on human rights of sex workers for police in Lusaka. By organising events around international sex worker days, ZASWA aims to increase visibility of sex workers.