
Registered activity
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Title of activity
Sex Worker Criminalisation in Cambodia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand
Registering Organizer
National Network of Sex Workers, India (NNSW) and Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA)
Email Organizer
URL Link of the Registering Co-organizer in this website
Co-organizer and Links
Phone/ WhatsApp Number
+447732691141
Contact Us
Co-organised with SWASA, https://www.asiasocialforum.net/organization/sex-workers-and-allies-south-asia-(swasa)/ www.swasasouthasia.org
Watch the event recording here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vxAWRSbzPdORd-59ZIy7dcwplCxKbs4T/view?usp=sharing
Kindly note that the time dedicated to self organized activities are 18th third and fourth slot and 19th third and fourth slot.
18th, 19th, 20th first and second slots are focused on opening session and activities developed from the thematic focus groups - and 20th third and fourth slot to agora of actions and closing moment. Info: https://www.asiasocialforum.net/3-day-event or see Menu info/ 3 days event
Language
We are using Bangkok Time UGT+7 as standard Time
Hindi, English, Sinhala, Tamil
Other language (by interpreter)
English
URL Link to Activity (online meeting Link)
URL link to access the broadcast of the activity if any
Summary of activity
For decades sex workers in the region have been demanding decriminalization as a vital step towards ending stigma, exploitation and violence by State and non-State actors. This call has been increasingly supported by human rights organizations and UN agencies. However governments have largely turned a deaf ear or have even introduced new laws and instruments that further criminalize sex work, cause harm and block access to justice.
As the pandemic rages on, state criminalization only adds to harm, by making it difficult for communities to access resources, each other and their livelihood.
This panel seeks to add to the dialogue in the Asia Pacific region among organizations and collectives in Cambodia, India, Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lankan to discuss experiences, map out where we have reached and the way forward.
Please register to join the meeting.

Description of activity
Panel Members:
Mai Janta, Empower Thailand
Ly Vina, Women’s Network for Unity, Cambodia
Bhawana Tamang, Hamro Sangathan, Nepal
Ayeesha Rai, Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA), India
Nirosha Dilrukshi Fernando, Stand Up Movement Lanka
Descriptions of organisations involved:
Empower, founded in 1985 is a sex worker organization promoting rights and opportunities for sex workers in Thailand. Empower is a movement led and managed by sex workers. www.empowerlibrary.online
The Women's Network for Unity is a sex worker organization in Cambodia which was established in 2000 and currently has about 6,400 members. It works against the stigmatization of sex work and lobbies for legal and human rights of sex workers and for safer working conditions.
https://www.facebook.com/wnucambodia/
Hamro Sangathan is a street based sex workers led organization located at Kathmandu district. They do the advocacy for street based sex workers. They have been able to do advocacy with the coloboration with National network of sex workers and active 15 members. This organization is not registered and actively works with SWASA Nepal since 2018 and they are also known as Ratnapark. It group (Street based sex workers). The CBO has around 110 FSW members and most of the member have the strength to open up their identity as Sex Workers.
Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) is a collaborative effort between sex workers and supportive activists and organisations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The initiative aligns itself to the LGBTQI and women’s rights movements and other struggles of the marginalized and draws attention to violations of sex workers' rights in the region.
Stand Up Movement Lanka promotes rights and entitlements of workers of Economic Processing Zones (EPZs), migrant workers and commercial sex workers.
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