The 18th IAC hopes to drive home the message that the protection of human rights is a fundamental prerequisite to an effective response to HIV. It follows that this conference represents an opportunity for synergy, for collaboration and for powerful alliances to be formed between sometimes disparate movements.
Come to the SWAN booth and have a talk with our “police officers” and bust the myths about sex work!
Visit human rights networking zone on July 19 to screen SWAN’s short films from Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Russia, with one general SWAN presentation.
Check out the Presentation area for SWAN member’s poster presentations!
Participate in the related discussion and presentations, such as poster presentation “Community of Learning” by SHARP/OSI (July 22, 2010) and a training “Best Practices in Documenting Human Rights Abuses” (2.30 – 6.00 pm, July 20, Mini Room 1).
This Video Advocacy Institute 2010 training was organized and delivered by WITNESS (www.witness.org) in cooperation with Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (www.tasz.hu) and OSI.
The sensitization was offered by Gabor Miklosi, a Hungarian journalist working for SWAN, Katerina Partinova of the Macedonian group HOPS and Anna-Louise Crago, a sex workers’ rights consultant for SWAN. This combination proved to be very successful.
1. “Outing”
SWAN members mentioned that media often “out” sex workers by filming them without permission while sex workers are working or being arrested in the context of a police raid. Furthermore, in Hungary, media routinely visit the tolerance zones on the street and film the women creating an obstacle to those women who wish to work in one of the only legal ways available. Criticisms of this practice were rebuffed by media who maintained that the tolerance zones were public places giving them full permission to film.
SWAN News: Please tell us about your organization’s recent name change from MPEE to SZEXE.
The Association changed its name from Association of Hungarian Prostitutes to Association of Hungarian Sex Workers since the employees of the organization believe that it better reflects their view of sex workers as workers and the concept of sex work as work. We believe that the word “sex worker” indicates that sex workers contribute to the country’s economy by paying taxes.
The center staff work closely with the JAZAS Educational Center, (JAZAS’ first drop-in center), the mobile medical unit and the outreach team in referring clients to institutions, health care centers and other organizations.
Starting in July 2010, JAZAS will combine both centers into one comprehensive drop-in center where sex workers will be able to use these various services every day.
JAZAS http://www.jazas.net/
Contact person: Stasa Plecas, [email protected]
An initiative to establish a union for sex workers in Turkey has been proceeding slowly but patiently for almost a year.
Several activists plan to establish a trade union to protect the health, security and education rights of sex workers in Turkey, where the majority of them work without licenses or social security.
IN FOCUS
The year of 2010 is marked by at least two international events that sex worker activists and their allies from all over the world planed to take part in. International conferences and forums provide one of the ways how sex workers can make their questions and demands heard, but, unfortunately, there are circumstances that can prevent activists from participating in such events.