In this column, SWAN News publishes articles that could help sex workers rights advocates in their daily work: how to challenge the myths surrounding sex work, how to fight abolitionists, how to work with media, communicate, create an effective message and get it across.

Tips on Using the Media for Our Purposes
New approaches can be invaluable in sensitizing a hostile public or achieving a shift in the tone of the media coverage of sex workers. The most important factor in having good media relations and a fair coverage is to nurture good working relations with a group of journalists. But even insensitive journalists can be educated or „tamed”, if we can offer them something in return for their cooperation. More

New issue dedicated to December 17: click HERE.

Printable version in PDF format is on its way.

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Dear All,
The situation in Romania on violence, abuse and criminalisation on sex work and sex workers impact very seriously sex workers human rights. And ARAS is among the very few NGOs still funded and fighting, in all the fields related to prevention of violence and human rights.
In this context, at December 17th, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, for the first time in Romania, ARAS intends to send the attached letter to authorities and the media.
Please, support our letter and send the name of your organization by December 15th to included into the list of signatures.

TO READ the Open Letter click here.
TO SUPPORT the Open Letter write to nicoleta.dascalu@arasnet.ro ; liana.velica@arasnet.ro ; aras.bucuresti@gmail.com

Macedonia: September issue of STAR newsletter

Macedonia: BY US TO US, Issue 11

In this issue read:
*STAR opens its new office to involve more sex workers
*Find out the meaning of the terms sex worker and sex work
*Confession of a sex worker (an interview with a Serbian sex worker who works in Vienna.
Read in Macedonian

Common Human Rights Violations Experienced by Sex Workers
Prepared by Open Society Public Health Program, this document pairs common violations experienced by sex workers with relevant provisions of major human rights treaties. The violations included in this document were reported by European and Central Asian sex worker organizations and advocates, who are members of the Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN).
Download PDF file in English.
Download PDF file in Russian.

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NSWP. Research for Sex Work: Sex and Violence
17 DECEMBER 2010 – The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) is commemorating the 7th annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers with the release of the “Sex Work and Violence” issue of the annual NSWP journal Research for Sex Work and the launch of a brand new NSWP website at http://nswp.org. Both the journal and the website amplify the voices of sex worker-led organising projects around the world that speak out about violence from police, institutions, clients, and intimate partners, while debunking the myth that sex work is inherently gender-based violence. More..
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SWAN Report Arrest the Violence! is now available
To mark December 17, the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers, SWAN is releasing its new report, Arrest the Violence: Human Rights Violations Against Sex Workers in 11 Countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report is based on interviews with more than 200 male, female and transgender sex workers between 2007 and 2009 and chillingly documents widespread violence and discrimination against them, particularly by state actors. To access the report, please go here.

10 Tacticts for Turning Information into Action
SWAN is happy to promote video by Tactical Technology Collective (TTC) on using information technology in advocacy. 10 inspiring stories and practical suggestion for your advocacy. Watch trailer and selected chapters in 11 languages here.
Come to the screening in Hungary: 19.30 on March 8, 2010, at European Youth Center, Zivatar utca, Budapest.

New format of SHARP’s newsletter
SHARP is pleased to present its updated newsletter format. The newsletter will be released quarterly and will focus on SHARP’s activities and grantees. To subscribe to our newsletter, please visit SHARP webpage.

ISHR Simple Guide to the Treaty Bodies - updated edition
ISHR has just re-edited its Simple Guide to the Treaty Bodies. The updated edition can be downloaded here.
The Simple Guide aims to provide human rights defenders and their organisations with a broad overview of the UN human rights treaty body system and its functions in order to support their effective engagement with the treaty bodies in their own work. More

STAR team at their office opening, Macedonia, 2011