The theme for this year’s sex workers day is: Access to Justice; History and Significance.
Sex workers continue to experience, #stigma and #discrimination, #violence; #gender_based_violence, #intimate_partner_violence, #high_HIV_infection_rates and #criminalization among other rights violations. This is according to Sex Work and Violence in Botswana Needs Assessment Report 2016, Legal Environment Assessment 2017 and Botswana Behavioural Surveillance Survey 2017. It must be acknowledged that Sex Worker Rights must be promoted, protected and fulfilled. The state has an obligation to fulfil sex worker rights within the framework of the constitution.
BONELA continues to advocate for access to equitable health services including comprehensive SRHR services, access to safe abortion services and access to justice for sex workers.
BONELA therefore calls for the government of Botswana to take immediate action, as guided by Human Rights principles to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of sex workers through:
-Decriminalization of aspects of sex work to ensure the protection of sex workers rights and contribute to Ending Violence Against Sex Workres
-Stop unlawful harassment and detention of sex workers by law enforcement officers and agencies
-Meaningful engagement and involvement of sex worker led organizations in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programming towards addressing their needs and challenges.
#sexworkersrights #hearmenow #myrightsmatter #sexworkersday22
For more information, contact BONELA on:
Katlego Sechele at ksechele@bonela.org or 72282025 Cindy Kelemi at cindyk@bonela.org or 72385054