April 2, 2023
THIS WEEK IN HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS
Activists march for sex workers’ rights in Cape Town
Sources: Cape Town Etc, Empower Foundation, Thai PBS World, ABS-CBN News
Last week, activists for sex workers’ rights (including sex workers and supporters) marched in Cape Town to the Department of Justice, as reported by Cape Town Etc.
The march intended to raise awareness for sex workers’ rights, including acknowledging the ‘work that has already been done’ as well as continuing to advocate for decriminalisation to further advance certain protections.
It was organised by the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force (SWEAT), an advocacy group that has supported sex workers’ rights and offered support and services for over 20 years.
Decriminalisation has been advocated in other countries as well. Empower Foundation, an advocacy group in Thailand, launched a petition in 2020 to collect signatures as part of an effort to petition the parliament to change the country’s laws that criminalise prostitution.
In 2023, a bill was drafted to legalise prostitution and enshrine legal protections for sex workers. Certain protections include requiring all sex workers and clients to be at least 18 years old, and to ensure that sex workers can deny service at any time and for any reason.
In South Africa, SWEAT organises their work through a central focus on ‘basic human rights’ that is also ‘supported by evidence’, as reported by Cape Town Etc. The march in Cape Town was also supported by the Global Network for People Living with HIV (GNP+), an advocacy group that works to advance 'high-quality prevention, treatment, care and support' to individuals with HIV.
The news article also included a statement from SWEAT regarding their mission: ‘We embrace the idea of wellness, which calls for the active participation of sex workers in becoming aware of the options available to them and making choices that will lead to a life that is both healthy and fulfilling. The absence of disease is only one component of wellness; it is also important to maintain your mental and social health in order to achieve true wellness.’