Terms of Reference Consultancy for Preparation of NGO Alternative Report to CEDAW on Rights of Laotian Sex Workers 15 July 2018 Introduction and Background Asia Pacific Network of Service Workers (APNSW), a regional network of sex workers established in 1997, is a common platform for member organizations in Asia and the Pacific. It has … More APNSW is looking for a Consultant – Apply
TERMS OF REFERENCE PROJECT OFFICER POSITION Introduction and Background Asia Pacific Network of Service Workers (APNSW), a regional network of sex workers established in 1994, is a common platform for member organizations in Asia and the Pacific. It has registered as a Foundation in Thailand with a regional Secretariat based in Bangkok. The Secretariat is chiefly responsible for … More Vacancy Announcement – Project Officer
HARC, the HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre organized a national sex workers conference in Dhaka Bangladesh on 17th and 18th July 2017. Over 100 sex workers attended this two-day conference with the theme “Nothing for us without us.” Red Umbrella Fund supported the event. … More Sex Workers in Bangladesh hold national conference
Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) held a five-day “SWIT” regional training from 24-28th April 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants came from Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Myanmar and China. During the regional training participants shared their experiences of how many SWIT-related activities are currently happening in their countries. … Despite the SWIT being published in 2013, and being a WHO reference document for public health policy, it is clear many states in Asia and the Pacific have not yet engaged with these guidelines. … More Sex workers assess implementation of SWIT
Authorities in Vietnam are reported to be planning their “biggest crackdown ever”against the sex industry in 2017. They say the want to help sex workers find new jobs. However, organisations such as ILO Vietnam have pointed out that this approach fails to address the needs of sex workers and ignores the findings of research. … More Authorities in Hanoi, Vietnam, plan ‘Biggest Crackdown Ever’ for 2017
In January, 33-year-old mother Pen Kunthea drowned when she slipped and hit her head while jumping between boats to run away from district security guards. She was left to drown. There have been calls for systematic change, accountability and justice to be served in Cambodia following her death.
The National Network of Sex Workers has released a statement challenging the conference being organised by the “The Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution International (Cap Intl).” The statement has been signed by over 2000 sex workers in India who reject the conflation of trafficking with sex work, and the conflation of sex work with violence. … More India: Over 2000 sex workers sign National Network of Sex Workers (NNSW) Statement, 25 Jan 2017
Part One of this article looked at barriers to sex worker community empowerment in Indonesia. Part Two summarizes discussions about addressing violence against sex workers, and community engagement in service provision. … More SWIT Training in Jakarta, Indonesia (Part Two)
The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers in collaboration with Organisasi Perubahan Sosial Indonesia (OPSI) conducted a national training in Jakarta from 15-17 November 2016. The training focused on the Sex Worker Implementation Tool (SWIT) – a guide for implementing comprehensive HIV/STI programmes with sex workers, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). … More SWIT Training in Jakarta, Indonesia (Part One)
Hundreds of sex workers were detained in raids conducted in three nightclubs in Beijing on 23 December 2016. … More Sex Workers Detained During Raids in Beijing, China
The Indian government’s decision to stop recognising Rs 500 and Rs 1000 bank notes has had a negative effect on sex workers and other marginalised communities. … More Demonetised Notes in India Negatively Impact Sex Workers
The 39th UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board Meeting took place in Geneva from 6-8 December 2016. APNSW Regional Coordinator Kay Thi Win spoke at the meeting on the needs of ageing sex workers. … More APNSW at the 39th UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board meeting
Sex workers across Asia and the Pacific continued to face multiple forms of violence in 2016. Even as we see progress in some areas, there are steps backward in others. … More APNSW Statement on International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
The Scarlet Alliance National Training and Assessment Program (SANTAP) provides a unique example of how sex workers have pro-actively responded to stigma, discrimination, and ignorance about our profession. … More Resourced and organised: achieving formal recognition of sex workers’ skills in Australia
Sex workers in Sonagachi, West Bengal, in India have taken a number of initiatives to improve education of sex workers and sex workers’ children. They include adult literacy and numeracy classes for sex workers, primary schools for young children of sex workers, a boarding hostel with private tuition for older children, and a co-operative banking system. … More “Making education safe for all” in Sonagachi, India
APNSW in collaboration with Friends Frangipani, held a three-day training in Port Moresby from 17-19 October 2016. Thirty-two (32) sex worker community members took part in learning more about the Global Fund (GF), its structures and mechanisms, and how to engage effectively at the country level. … More APNSW facilitates Global Fund training in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
In August 2016 Sex Worker Network SON announced their new sex worker led network in South Korea. The network’s initial activities include offering legal support for members after police entrapment or crackdowns, and meeting together to share their experiences and support each other. … More Introducing: Sex Worker Network SON, South Korea
On the 18 of October, COSWAS, sex workers and allies held a protest outside the Taipei City Government. Protesters asked for the decriminalisation of sex work, for an end to illegal entrapment practices targeting sex workers, and for the government to stop ignoring sex workers. They are asking for safe and legal places to work. … More Taiwanese Sex Workers Protest for Decriminalisation
In spite of the financial constraints within which UN Women must currently operate, it is astonishing to see less than six weeks of time being given to an online-only consultation. This also seems to be the first significant opportunity for those who will be most affected by this policy – sex workers themselves – to contribute. … More APNSW letter to UN Women, 16 Oct 2016
The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) in collaboration with the Vietnam Sex Workers Network (VNSW) organised a training from the 22-24 August in Hanoi, Vietnam on the Global Fund. Seventeen sex workers representing 12 sex worker-led organisations from across the nation attended the training. … More APNSW and VNSW host Global Fund Training in Hanoi, Vietnam
Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers 