History of the NSWP and the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Trans* Sex Worker Activist Norrie May-Welby Instigates Legal Challenge to Have Gender Recognised as ‘Non-Specific’

In 2010, a media-savvy Sydney-based trans*sex worker and community activist, Norrie May-Welby, initiated court proceedings against the New South read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Serial killer targeting sex workers

In 2010, eight sex workers were reported murdered in the tiny town of Thika (Kenya). read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

SWEAT and Sisonke part of FIFA World Cup research

In the months leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, in read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

2nd Meeting of UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and Sex Work

read more...NSWP History

IAC Vienna

NSWP and its member organisations staged a protest against the PEPFAR anti-prostitution loyalty oath, held on 20th July. read more...NSWP History

Craiglist’s “Adult Services” Shut Down

Long-time resource for sex workers, the Adult Services section on Craigslist (the world’s largest free classified ad website) was closed down on read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Indian Sex Workers Produce Video Response to “Prostitutes of God” Documentary

In 2010, VBS (VICE) media produced a highly offensive documentary film, “Prostitutes of God”, which attempted to explore the cultures of De read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

BC Missing Women Investigation Set Up

Serial killer Robert Pickton, a former multi-millionaire pig farmer, was convicted in 2007 of the second-degree murders of six women and sentenced to read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex Workers Conference Cancelled

In November 2010 a conference for the Commercial Sex Workers Leadership Institute [SWLI] was cancelled on the orders of the Minister of Ethics and read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Research on Male Sex Workers in Africa

“My work as a male sex worker activist focuses on Africa mostly because in Africa, sex work is mostly associated with female sex work and most male read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

CHESA/TSSNU is formed in Tanzania

Community Health Education Services and Advocacy (CHESA) is a network of LGBTQIs, sex w read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Murdered Gay Activist’s Funeral Turns into Gay-Bashing Service

On 26 January 2011 renowned gay-rights activist David Kato (46) was beaten with a hammer twice on the head, at his home in Mukono Town (Uganda). Kato read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex Workers Donate to Church Orphanage

On March 8, 2011 the Uganda Harmonized Rights Alliance celebrated International Women's Day by donating to the Nsambya Babies Home, run by a local read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

"Scarlet Road" Documentary Premiered

Released in 2011, ‘Scarlet Road’ is a documentary featuring Australian sex worker activist Rachel Wotton, who has been active in the NSW Sex Worker read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Mandatory Sex Offender Registration for Solicitation Struck Down in Louisiana

Archival material:  read more...Legislation and Policy

Legal empowerment of sex workers in South Africa

TLAC initially employed two sex worker paralegals to reach out to sex worker communities and offer basic human rights education. The paralegals read more...Legislation and Policy

Hit and Run: the Impact Anti-trafficking Policy and Practise on Sex Workers’ Human Rights in Thailand

In 2012, Thailand’s national women’s sex worker organisation, the EMPOWER Foundation, released ‘Hit and Run: the Impact Anti-trafficking Policy and read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

The HIV and Sex Work Collection: Innovative Responses in Asia and the Pacific Launched

Launched in 2012, ‘The HIV and Sex Work Collection: Innovative Responses in Asia and the Pacific’ is a collection of case studies highlighting the read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Vietnam Network of Sex Workers is Formed

Sex workers in Vietnam get together and form a national network in order to bring about positive changes for their communities. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Chouf Minorities is formed in Tunisia

Chouf Minorities is a feminist organisation advocating for LBTSW women’s bodily and sexual rights in Tunisia. It was formed in 2012, and officially read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Last Rescue In Siam

“Last Rescue in Siam” is a short, silent black and white film which uses parody to highlight the impact of anti-trafficking read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

ASWA loses Namibia’s Coordinator - Abel Shinana

On the 17th of May 2012, the global sex workers’ movement woke to the tragic news of the passing of the African Sex Worker Alliance (ASWA) Namibian read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

San Francisco Ends Practice of Using Condoms as Evidence

In several cities across the United States, the possession of condoms and wrappers is used as evidence to justify an arrest on prostitution and read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

'Criminalizing Condoms' report released

In July 2012 the Open Society Foundation released a report titled Criminalising Condoms: How Policing Practices Put Sex Workers and HIV Services at read more...Legislation and Policy

The Global Commission on HIV and the Law Calls for the Removal of Criminal Laws Around Sex Work

On July 9th, 2012, at the United Nations’ headquarters in New York City, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law launched a report renouncing the read more...Legislation and Policy

ASWA at ‘Freedom Festival of Sex Workers’ in Kolkata

Members of the African Sex Worker Alliance (ASWA) were among those who attended the parallel 'Freedom Festival of Sex Workers' in Kolkata (India). read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

XIX International AIDS Conference, Washington D.C.

Archival Material: read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

52 sex workers arrested in Nigeria

On the night of August 1st, officials of the Lagos State Task force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit stormed Isaac John and read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

“Stop Harassing Us! Tackle Real Crime!” report released

The Women’s Legal Centre (WLC), Sisonke (the South African national movement of sex workers), and the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce ( read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

National Sex Workers' Symposium: Best practices for HIV prevention, care and treatment for sex workers in South Africa

On the 22nd and 23rd of August South Africa held its first ever National Sex Workers' Symposium, in Johannesburg. The Symposium brought together read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Alternative IAC: Sex Workers Freedom Festival Held in Kolkata

In 2012, the 19th International AIDS Conference was held in Washington, American, ostensibly in recognition of the Obama administration’s 2009 read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

"Freedom to Work" Video Series Launched

“Freedom to Work” is a series of videos, produced by the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers featuring speakers at the 2012 read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

KESWA Protests Against Sex Worker Murders

On the 8th of September 2012 over 500 members of the African Sex Worker Alliance (ASWA) and the Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA) took to the read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Death of Robin Few

On September 13th, 2012, sex worker rights activist Robin Few passed away after a long struggle with cancer. She was 53. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex and Justice Conference Held in Ann Arbor

At a conference hosted by the University of Michigan, a number of activists came together in an attempt to make a coherent analysis of sex and its read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

1st SW-ASEAN Sex Worker Summit

Instigated by the EMPOWER Foundation, the national women’s sex worker network of Thailand, 30 sex workers representatives from 8 of the Association read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Vietnam Closes Detention Centre Number Five

After years of campaigning by sex workers, the infamous Detention Centre Number Five is closed down. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sisonke RISING on V-Day against GBV

Sisonke, the only national movement of sex workers in South Africa, joined its voice to the international One Billion Rising (OBR) campaign against read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

“Yet still we dance”: Exhibition of Artworks from ASEAN Sex Workers

Sex workers representing peer-led advocacy organisations from across the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic region contributed read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

ASWA offers sex workers scholarships to attend ICASA

To ensure that the voices and presence of sex workers are heard and felt during the 17thInternational Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Acclaimed artist murders sex worker

On the 5th of May, acclaimed Durban-born artist and photographer, Zwelethu Mthethwa was arrested and charged with the alleged murder of 23-year-old read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

CGE releases position paper in support of decriminalisation of sex work

On the 16th of May, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) launched its read more...Legislation and Policy

Sex workers in parliament

In May, Members of Parliament (MPs) should join other respected local and international groups to push for the decriminalisation of sex work, rights read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

US Supreme Court Declares Anti-Prostitution Loyalty Oath Unconstitutional

Archival Material read more...Legislation and Policy

Massive police crackdown in Zimbabwe

August saw a massive police crackdown on sex workers in the capital, Harare. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Walking in sex workers’ heels on Women’s Day

On 9 August 2013, South Africa’s National Women’s Day, the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) and the country’s sex worker movement read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Jamaican Sex Workers Hold a Conference and Issue a Declaration Demanding Their Rights

The Caribbean Sex Worker Coalition (CSWC) ended read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

ASWA statement to the United Nations protests against Decriminalisation

In September, the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA), a sex worker-led organisation run by and for sex workers in Africa, stood firmly against the read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Elections for current APNSW Policy and Program Committee members

APNSW is governed by a Policy and Program Committee (PPC), which is responsible for driving the strategic direction of the organisation, undertaking read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Police arrests 23 sex workers in Ghana

The Rapid Deployment Force of Ghana Police Service arrested 23 alleged sex workers at Vien read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Botswana: Draft strategy to detain local sex workers, and deport immigrants

Early November, Botswana’s onslaught on sex workers read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex Work HIV Plan at ICASA

The National Strategic Plan read more...Legislation and Policy

The Bedford Decision, Canada

While the purchase and sale of sexual services were not in themselves illegal when the Canada v. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

CAMEF office vandalised

read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Unexpected Death of Andrew Hunter

On 26 December, 2013, Andrew Hunter, Coordinator of the Asia and Pacific Network of Sex Workers and President of NSWP, unexpectedly passes away due t read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sou Sotheavy Receives David Kato Vision and Voice Award

Self-disclosed HIV positive Cambodian trans* sex worker, Sou Sotheavy, was awarded the 2014 David Kato Vision and Voice Award for the activism she read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

The Rights(s) Evidence: Sex Work, Violence and HIV Research Initiative Receives Robert Carr Research Award

The inaugural Robert Carr Research Award was presented to a consortium of 6 partners who collaborated on producing the research report, ‘The Rights(s read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Andrew Hunter Memorial

Andrew Hunter’s funeral took place at Wat Kaew Jam Fa in Bangkok. In testament to the love and respect many people felt for Andrew, his funeral read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Human Rights Watch Affirm Support for Decriminalisation

On January 21st 2014, Human Rights Watch released their 24th annual review for human rights practices aro read more...Legislation and Policy

Meeting of new APNSW PCC and demarcation of new APNSW coordinators to replace Andrew Hunter

The first face to face PCC meeting is held in Bangkok and includes all the newly elected members of the PCC. read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

ICRSE Campaign against the Honeyball Report calling for the adoption of the Swedish model across Europe

ICRSE launches a large scale campaign against a repor read more...Legislation and Policy

Sex workers take to the streets in South Africa

On International Sex Worker Rights Day (3rd March) sex workers across the world, including the African continent, came out in numbers to commemorate read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex workers protest for legal recognition in Lagos State, Nigeria

On International Sex Worker Rights Day (3rd March) Nigerian sex workers joined their counterparts in some countries to demand for legal recognition read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Sex workers in Namibia demand showdown with Kanime, and to pay tax

In May, Namibian sex workers called for City Police Chief Abraham Kanime to hold a round table meeting with them about a new municipal law, which read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

NYPD Bans Use of Condoms as Evidence in Some Prostitution Arrests

Achival Material read more...Legislation and Policy

Police Raid Building in Niterói, Brazil – Sex Workers Intimidated and Harrassed

A police raid in a building where more than 400 hundred sex workers worked, in Niterói, a city on the other side of Rio de Janeiro’s bay, ended with read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

South Africa: Sex worker murderer gets three life sentences

On the 27th of May, the first time in the history of South Africa, double murderer read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

SASOD Receives the Red Ribbon Award

At the 20th International AIDS Conference, held in Melbourne, Australia in July, 2014, Guyana-based NSWP member organisation, read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

WONETHA presents at the 20th International AIDS Conference

Daisy Nakato Namakula, the Executive Director of the Women’s Organisation Network for Human Rights Advocacy (WONETHA), presented at the 20th read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

Documentary: "Kandapara, the Lost Brothel" produced by APNSW

In July, 2014, almost 1000 Bangladeshi sex workers from the Tangail Kandapara brothel district were evicted from their homes and work spaces as the read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

"Debbie Doesn’t Do It for Free" National Exhibition held in Sydney

The Australian-based sex worker collective, “Debby Doesn’t Do it For Free”, held a national exhibition and retrospective of their work over the past read more...History of the Sex Worker Rights Movement