HESED, SWAN member from Bulgaria, organized on May 31 in Sofia a round table to discuss the impending prostitution law. The organizers hoped to answer the significant public interest caused by the legislation, and in the same time enhance the dialogue and let the sex workers’ voice being heard. That will hopefully result in improved quality of the new legislation. More
Besides representatives of different ministries and NGOs, Bulgarian sex workers participated at the meeting as well. Guests from the Netherlands shared both their positive and negative experiences regarding the legalization of the prostitution. The main topic of the meeting was “Is there a need of evaluating the effect of the impending law aiming the prostitution? Why and how?”
The participants discussed the main parameters for such an evaluation; who is supposed to finance it and who can implement it. A memorandum is being drafted, as a result of the meeting. The document, which will present the discussion points and the results of the meeting, will be distributing among the Government Ministries and relevant state agencies.
The list of the organizations, with participants at the event:
· Royal Netherlands Embassy, Sofia;
· Ministry of Interior;
· Ministry of Health;
· National Police Service;
· Capital Police Directorate
· Children, Youth and Sports Affairs Committee
· Academy of Ministry of Interior
· Center for Women Studies and Policies Foundation – Sofia
· Center for Democracy Researches- Sofia
· Animus Association – Sofia
· Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association – Sofia
· Initiative for Health Foundation – Sofia
· Dose of Love Association – Burgas
· SOS – Families in risk Foundation – Varna
· Avis Vita Foundation – Plovdiv
· Perspectives Foundation – Sandanski
· Samaritans Association – Stara Zagora
· SOAAIDS Foundation- The Netherlands
· HESED- Sofia
Contact person: Angelina Georgieva
About HESED
E-mail: prohealth@hesed.bg
Website: www.hesed.bg