The Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) is a sex worker-led regional network in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia that advocates for the human rights of female, male and transgender sex workers. SWAN was founded in 2006 and was officially registered as the SWAN Foundation in January of 2012.  

Our Mission:

SWAN is a regional network of sex worker-led organisations, and their allies that works to create societies in Central-Eastern Europe and Central Asia where: 

• sex work is de-penalised and decriminalised, 
• sex workers can live and work free from violence, stigma and discrimination;
• sex workers are empowered and actively engaged in issues that directly affect their lives and health.
  
  

Our Values:

We recognise the right of sex workers to take agency in their lives, health and decision-making. SWAN’s member organisations either work with or are led by sex workers and sex worker leadership is an organising principle of the network. SWAN’s work is overseen by a democratically elected Management Committee. SWAN operates with the following values:

• We commit to actively involve sex workers in all levels of SWAN governance and to the protection of human rights.
  
• We recognise sex work as work, which is an unforced sale of sexual services between consenting male female and trans adults.
• We seek to address the needs and engage the strengths of the diverse range of people who are sex workers, recognising their intersectionality with other population groups (such as, migrants, people who use drugs, people living with HIV, LGBTI people and others) as well as their diverse range of work environments and lived experience.
  
• We prioritise support of sex worker-led initiatives but also support their allies address the needs of sex workers.

Our Goal: 

Sex workers will enjoy human rights, safety, well-being, health and dignity in Central Eastern Europe and Central Asia.