All the seminars were organized by the methodology developed by SWAN (See Sex Worker’s Advocacy School in this and previous issue of SWAN News).  Some seminars already brought tangible results – the 100TV in Russia broadcasted a live program on sex work, prepared by two Sankt Petersburg seminar alumni.

The Kyrgyz event was organized by LGBT group Labris, in collaboration with SWAN member Tais Plus. Says Shahnaz Islamova from Tais Plus: “The journalists were happy with the seminar, they invited us to deliver similar training in the Journalist Club in Bishkek. They liked the most the parts about the language, and the myths and reality section. They did not like that during the seminar there was electricity shortage and we did not have heating.”

Says Svetlana from Social Bureau Kovcheg: “The reporters agreed that their work has huge influence on public opinion. We discussed terminology and were surprised how many words exist in Russian and Kazakh for sex work.”

For more information:
Svetlana Sadukasova, Social Bureau Kovcheg, fsz@mail.ru
Shahnaz Islamova, Tais Plus, shislamova@gmail.com