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  SWAN at UN Global Commission on HIV and the Law

  Posted: December 15th, 2011, 4:27am PST by Aliya

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  By Anna-Louisa Crago
  What is the Global Commission on HIV and the Law (GCHL)?
  It is a commission put in place by the UN to study the impact of different laws on HIV-prevention, treatment and care. It also studies the impact of laws on discrimination and violence against people living with HIV or at high-risk of HIV.

  The commissioners are a group of highly respected individuals and experts from around the world and include former heads of state, judges and policy experts. They are advised by a committee of technical experts with extensive knowledge about HIV and the law.

  The commission is particular because it is independent of the UN. That means that the commissioners can come to their own conclusions, even if coutries within the UN or UN workers disagree with these.

  What does the GCHL have to do with SWAN?

  Individuals and groups from the CEE/CA, as well as other regions,were invited to submit testimony about the impact of different laws and HIV. SWAN submitted a submission that tried to include experiences from all across the region. Many other SWAN groups individually submitted such as HOPS (Macedonia), Lega-Life (Ukraine) and HESED (Bulgaria).
  

  In the end, Odyseus (Slovakia), SZEXE (Hungary), TAIS PLUS (Kyrgyzstan), Association for Assistance (Russia) and SWAN were accepted to present in front of the commissioners at a regional meeting in Moldova in May, 2011.

  How did SWAN prepare?

  read more

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  Hungary: Budapest Declaration of the Network of countries with Low HIV prevalence in Central and South-Eastern Europe

  Posted: December 15th, 2011, 4:19am PST by Aliya

  By Marija Tosheva, HOPS

  In late June, 2011 the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, hosted a meeting in Budapest for 30 delegates from the countries of Central and South East Europe (SWAN was also represented), with supporters from Western Europe, to launch the Network of Low Prevalence Countries in Central and South East Europe – NeLP (http://nelp-hiv.org/budapest-declaration).
  

  The general conclusion of the delegates was that national governments and the general population in our region don’t yet see HIV as a major problem. With fewer people living with HIV, fewer supporters and fewer medical staff, the capacity to respond to HIV in our countries is muted. With less overall societal impact, the perceived need to respond is less urgent.

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  Changes for sex workers in Bulgaria?

  Posted: December 15th, 2011, 4:09am PST by Aliya

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  By Petra Timmermans, ICRSE Coordinator and Rayna Dimitrova, HESED

  Recently in Bulgaria sex workers have taken the first tentative steps to mobilising for their rights.
  On 29 August plans were put into place for a demonstration in response to recent police activity that has focused on arresting and detaining sex workers working along the main ring road around Sofia. Charges related to immoral behavior and/or causing traffic accidents are being used in what could be described as an attempt to rid Sofia of prostitutes. However, the demonstration did not take place as planned. Although around 20 sex workers showed up there were so many journalists taking photographs that most of the women became nervous and left.
  

  Some news clippings in Bulgarian:
  • http://www.dnes.bg
  • http://dariknews.bg
  • [tv7.bg"] title="http://bnt.b http://bnt.bghttp://tv7.bg">[tv7.bg">http:]

  
  Briefly it is said in these videos that sex workers in Sofia organize a protest against the police activity because recently all outdoor sex workers were detained by the police for 24 hours and were not able to do sex work. They want their profession to be legalized, to pay taxes and to be able to work undisturbed. These are mostly independent sex workers who have no pimps and work for themselves.

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  What is the cost of legal reform for Ukrainian sex workers?

  Posted: December 15th, 2011, 3:53am PST by Aliya

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  By Aliya Rakhmetova
  Beginning of November 2011, Ukrainian Verhovnaya Rada (a supreme body similar to Parliament) reviewed a bill on changing the legislation around ‘prostitution’. In the background note, Mogilev, the Minister of Interior, writes that the reason for the reform is the fact that existing legislation is not working (news article link http://cripo.com.ua/index.php?sect_id=10&aid=125635 ).
  

  According to the authors of the bill, right now only city administrative committees (within city executive body) can deal with these cases, the village committees are not authorized to take the case. Since the cases should be addressed by the executive bodies in the location where the person is officially registered, most of cases on individual sex work remain unaddressed because most of fined sex workers come from smaller towns and villages.

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  Civil society unites to support the work of the Global Fund

  Posted: November 18th, 2011, 3:04am PST by Aliya

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  Eurasian Harm Reduction Network followed the initiative of Latin American groups and developed a petition to the Global Fund's (GF) Board in advance of their meeting next week to express their concerns over potential negative implications of the GF reform following the recommendations of the High Level Panel. It started off as a regional initiative in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, but has now grown to represent broader regional concerns and focus on the communities of key affected populations.

  If you think it is important that GF continues its work in Latin America, Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia and in Asia Pacific, please sign the online petition today (by November 18 midnight) here [www.itpcorg.ru] .

  For the full text of petition in English scroll down the page.
  To sign the petition click the link "Subscribe" and fill in your information.

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  Will now police make decisions who to punish and how in Ukraine?

  Posted: November 8th, 2011, 8:03am PST by Aliya

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  Beginning of November 2011, Ukrainian Verhovnaya Rada (a supreme body similar to Parliament) reviewed a bill on changing the legislation around ‘prostitution’. In the background note, Mogilev, the Minister of Interior, writes that the reason for the reform is the fact that existing legislation is not working (news article link http://cripo.com.ua/index.php?sect_id=10&aid=125635 ).

  According to the authors of the bill, right now only city administrative committees (within city executive body) can deal with these cases, the village committees are not authorized to take the case. Since the cases should be addressed by the executive bodies in the location where the person is officially registered, most of cases on individual sex work remain unaddressed because most of fined sex workers come from smaller towns and villages.

  read more

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  Bulgaria: Sex workers protest against police actions

  Posted: September 5th, 2011, 6:35am PDT by Aliya

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  SOFIA, August 31, 2011 - Sex worker in Sofia protest current situation with sex work and police attitudes. Below is the news report from the Ring Road (in Bulgaria).

  Translation of text coverage at [tv7.bg]  :

  " Profession "prostitute"?

  Women who work as prostitutes said they will now go before Parliament and protest to protect their rights. What provoked them and should prostitution be legalized - See first-person answers.

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  Russia: Altai Mountains in anticipation of talented young people. Pack up for the Volunteer Summer School! (2-7 August 2011)

  Posted: June 16th, 2011, 3:16am PDT by Aliya

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  June, Barnaul – It has been ten years since the regional public organization "Siberian Initiative", a member of SWAN in Russia, held its first volunteer summer school, which has become a unique forum for volunteers from Russia and other countries. The school is a space, where volunteers from different organizations and regions learn, share experiences and knowledge, communicate and relax.
  At different times the Volunteer Summer School hosted volunteers not only from Russia, but also Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, USA, Sweden, Italy and Canada. Over the years the Summer School trained over 1,000 young people representing more than 300 state, municipal and public organizations from 47 Russian regions. Volunteers increase their energy, improve their knowledge, help organize productive cooperation and promote their further development. This is an excellent opportunity to promote and develop further the movement of volunteer service to the society.

  "The Volunteer Summer School is a great chance for volunteers to realize how important their work is, and that there so many of us!" - Cherkasova Anastasia Summer School 2005.

  This year Summer School will open its doors in August 2-7 and will host the first Master- Forum on Social Service, which is a continuation and development of the idea of an annual Summer School for Volunteers.

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  BULGARIA - HESED

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  HESED initiated a number of activities to mark December 17th, starting with a meeting with local institutions and organisations to introduce them to the day and to sensitized them to ways of speaking about sex workers in order to reduce stigma against sex work and vulnerable groups. This is the second meeting on this issue organized by HESED, the first was on 17th December 2009 and it has now become a “tradition”.

  There were representatives from several local institutions: the Center for Dermatological and Venereal Diseases, Regional Inspection for the Protection and Control of Public Health, the Program for the Prevention and Control of HIV and AIDS within the Ministry of Health, the Caritas Foundation and the Concordia Bulgaria Foundation. No journalists attended the meeting.

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  CZECH REPUBLIC- Bliss Without Risk

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  Thirty members of Bliss Without Risk, including sex workers marked December 17th with a march through the streets of Prague up to the city centre. There, in a park, the lit candles in memory of sex workers who had lost their lives to violence as well as those who survived violence.

  NGOs and media were alerted to the actions and a number of journalists were present to cover the event. Below is a link to one such article:
  http://zpravy.idnes.cz/svicky-a-minuta-ticha-pripomnely-ubodane-a-uskrce...
  

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  ALBANIA- AKSION PLUS

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  On the occasion of the 17th of December Aksion Plus (A+) was invited to participate in a National Human Rights Debate. Two A+ staff and one transgender sex worker spoke about the issues that sex workers currently face, services that are offered and advocacy efforts to advance sex workers’ rights. In his power point, Genci Mucollari, the director of A+ presented, also discussed, the existing mechanisms that can be used enforce respect for the rights of the LGBT community in Albania. The following people also delivered speeches: the State Commissioner for Protection against Discrimination, representatives from LGBT community and Pink Embassy and journalists.

  The session was attended by nearly 30 other human rights activists. It was a very constructive event in terms of the open discussion and joint recommendations for future action that were proposed. The interaction between stakeholders and concerned parties proved very fruitful.

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  MACEDONIA- STAR

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  by Borce

  In light of the International Day to end the violence against sex workers, the red umbrella was symbolically opened for the fourth time in the capital city of Macedonia. Sex workers and their supporters actively participated in the event organized by the Association for Support of Marginalized Workers STAR-STAR.

  We chose the slogan “To be a sex worker is my right – to be a brute is a crime !” for the campaign. We printed two cards with the slogan, each with a different photograph aimed to deliver sex workers’ message to society.

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  MACEDONIA- HOPS

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  by Marija

  This year HOPS marked the International day to End Violence against Sex Workers in several regions in Macedonia – Skopje, the capital, but also Gostivar, Strumica and Ohrid where mixed teams of sex workers and other professionals work together on service provision for HOPS. Most of the activities were community-oriented, in order to get sex workers familiar with the importance of this day in regions that marked it for the first time, to provoke discussion about violence and the situation in their local environments, but also to engage sex workers in joint creative and fun activities that they can enjoy.

  In Strumica, sex workers led the events. They began by making small wooden red umbrellas which they used to decorate the drop in center, to embellish cocktail drinks and to distribute to friends and allies. At the same time, they organized group discussions inspired by the community newsletter “From Us To Us” (produced by STAR-STAR) and the Sex Workers’ Manifesto (produced by ICRSE) and prepared lots of food including a beautiful and tasty cake that said “Protect Yourself, It’s Your Right”.

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  HUNGARY- THE ASSOCIATION OF HUNGARIAN SEX WORKERS

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 4:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  The Association of Hungarian Sex Workers carried out a postcard campaign with SWAN support on December 17th. We prepared the attached postcard with the picture taken at the red umbrella march which also celebrated our association’s 10th birthdays. We sent the postcards to our key partners, newspaper and magazine editors, members of parliament, decision makers, NGOs, as well as to international networks. This was the first occasion when we used the power of choosing and delivering our own message; usually we are represented in the media in the form of quotes, reports or interviews. We think that this is a proactive method to catch the public’s attention, so we decided to put a greater emphasis on new media initiatives (promoting sex worker blogs, advocacy videos, etc.) in the future. We got positive feedback so far: several journalists contacted us who we were not in contact before.

  The text on the postcard reads:

  "December 17 is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Discrimination against sex workers has to be taken seriously as a societal and political problem. Let us stop putting sex workers into illegal situations. Criminalization contributes to their vulnerability!”

  Two employees of the Association visited street and indoor sex workers and handed out Christmas packages (with chocolate, tangerines, condoms and our Newsletter) and raised awareness about the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
  

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  SERBIA- JAZAS

  Posted: March 14th, 2011, 3:00pm PDT by Aliya

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  For this year’s December 17th action, JAZAS organized presentations and a viewing of the film ‘Invisibles” by 17-year old Nikola Polic at the REX cultural center. The film was made during 2010 at the drop-in center and hotspots, and features several sex workers and outreach workers. It presents personal stories of sex workers: how they think of themselves, how others view them and what they have suffered through whilst working.

  Stasa Plecas talked about the significance of this day, how it is commemorated all over the world, and overall, how sex workers are exposed to various kinds of violence.

  Dr. Dragan Ilic presented data on violence against sex workers in Serbia, gathered during a 2010 research study.

  Jelena Vidic presented data on stigma and discrimination from the project “Empowerment to Recognize and React”.

  read more

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  Global Fund Meeting in Sofia: Activists Demand More Funding for the CEE/CA

  Posted: March 8th, 2011, 8:14am PST by Aliya

  From December 13th to 15th, Sofia, Bulgaria was host to the 22nd meeting of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). Each year, the Global Fund holds a meeting away from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to offer delegates the opportunity to visit programs financed by the Global Fund. This was the first meeting held in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.

  One of the topics in the meeting was a discussion about reconsidering the eligibility of criteria for financing by the GFATM. Such a change would result in new funding opportunities for a number of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. While the board deliberated on this issue, more than 600 activists from Serbia and Bulgaria chose the occasion to protest and to hand an open letter to the Executive Director in favor of such changes and to highlight the importance of increasing funding to the region in the world that currently has the most rapidly expanding HIV epidemic.

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  Hungary: Celebrating a decade of work for sex workers' rights

  Posted: March 8th, 2011, 8:02am PST by Aliya

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  The Association of Hungarian Sex Workers (SZEXE) celebrated its 10 year anniversary on the September 20th, 2010. The celebration included a short media sensitization and information session using SWAN materials and then speeches Ms. Ágnes Földi, chairwoman of the organization and Mr. Tamás Árva, the legal aid provider of the Association.

  Ms. Földi thanked the partners and experts who have worked closely with the Association over the past 10 years for their assistance and expertise and talked about the history of the sex worker movement. According to Ms. Földi: "It has been an incredible achievement for our organization to get all levels of government to realize that sex workers need support. We hope that their willingness to help our cause will continue over the next 10 years and will lead to an improved legal framework for sex work.

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  SWAN invited to train with the National Press Foundation

  Posted: March 8th, 2011, 7:40am PST by Aliya

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  By Aliya Rakhmetova
  July 16, Vienna, Austria - The International AIDS Conference (IAC) was preceded by a number of events to provide space for journalists, communities representatives, networks and researchers to make their participation in the IAC as meaningful as possible. In the framework of the IAC, SWAN was invited to hold a training with the National Press Foundation (http://www.nationalpress.org), whose primary mission is to increase journalists’ knowledge of complex issues in order to improve public knowledge.
  

  A 90-minutes-long seminar on sex work issues was a part of a four-day journalist training which was organized by a USA-based non-profit journalist education organization National Press Foundation in collaboration with the International AIDS Foundation. This training involved 49 journalists from 40 countries. The aim of this training was to provide background information on issues around HIV/AIDS, human rights and their relevance to the rights of different groups of population.

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  Lithuania: Coalition strengthens relationship with journalists

  Posted: March 8th, 2011, 7:23am PST by Aliya

  June, 2010 – Though it was Saturday, journalists met with SWAN representatives in Lithuania to talk about sex work. In hope to establish a closer and more productive relationship and to open a dialogue on the representation of sex workers in media, Coalition I Can Live invited journalists from various printed media for a discussion.

  Gathered in one of the cozy cafes of the Old Town, the meeting organizers, Coalition I Can Live and DEMETRA, a drop-in center for sex workers, talked with journalists about types of sex work, regional and international sex workers’ rights movements, legal framework around sex work in Lithuania and main problems sex workers face in this country. In discussion of the possible stories for the news, the organizers used a list of articles that had been published over past years to show how actually narrow the covered topic had been.

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  SWAN conference session on Sex workers in Europe and Central Asia: Mobility, migration and human rights

  Posted: March 7th, 2011, 8:15am PST by Aliya

  By Marija Tosheva, HOPS, Macedonia

  On July 20, 2010, the second day of Vienna conference, SWAN organized an oral session on Sex work, mobility, migration and human rights in Europe and Central Asia. 6 experienced activists from the region, members of SWAN and TAMPEP networks, had a chance in front of an excellent audience to challenge and start a discussion on vulnerabilities and structural barriers faced by mobile and migrant sex workers to better health and human rights.
  

  Presentations provided an overview of the trends of mobility and migration in Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia when sex workers move either internally or across the boarders. Presenters and participants looked into human rights and other factors that affect sex workers’ health, access to HIV prevention and care, as well as human rights: such as law and policy; linguistic and cultural barriers; and repression and discrimination in the “receiving” country or region.

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  Macedonia: HOPS wins HIV and human rights award

  Posted: March 7th, 2011, 8:03am PST by Aliya

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  By Marija Tosheva, HOPS, Macedonia

  Healthy Options Project Skopje (HOPS, Macedonia) became the recipient of the 2010 International Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, presented by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch. The award, which recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that protect the rights and dignity of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, was presented in Vienna on July 20, 2010, at the XVIII International AIDS Conference.
  

  “Sex workers routinely face human rights abuses, including the discriminatory denial of health services, arbitrary detention by police, harassment, and sexual and physical violence,” said Richard Elliott, executive director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (www.aidslaw.ca). “This award recognizes the tremendous contribution of HOPS to seeking justice for sex workers and improving their access to health, social, and legal services.”

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  SWAN represents CEE/CA in Vienna

  Posted: March 7th, 2011, 7:21am PST by Aliya

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  July 18-23, Vienna, Austria – This year sex workers and allies from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia had a chance to talk about barriers and issues that sex workers face in their countries, to show what groups and organizations have achieved in addressing the pandemics and violations in their region. The Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) was represented by 11 activists from Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia and Montenegro, a team of young and energetic volunteers from Odyseus, Slovakia and a performance group from Bliss without Risk, Czech Republic.

  In order to make SWAN activities more visible and to attract international attention to sex work related issues in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, SWAN secretariat applied for a marketplace booth at the Global Village at IAC and some of SWAN member-organizations brought handouts and brochures to be distributed at the booth. Also the products - hand-made or designed by sex workers and their allies - were sold in order to raise money for SWAN members’ programs.

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  SWAN marketplace booth

  Posted: February 7th, 2011, 8:08am PST by Aliya

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  By Lubica Tornosziova, Odyseus, Slovakia

  During the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, SWAN ran a marketplace booth in the Global Village. Global Village was a space where everybody could go in, without needing special permission or badges. This meant that our booth was accessible not only to conference participants but also to the general public.
  

  Our booth was predominately a contact point, as people constantly passed through the corridor where the booth was situated. Some of them just looked around and they didn’t want to be distracted. Many more people came to us and asked who we are, what we are doing and what kind of materials we were offering. Our main activity was providing information about SWAN and/or about sex work in general: we distributed leaflets about SWAN itself an about SWAN members but also set up a game called “Bust the Myth”.

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  Slovakia: Odyseus, interviews and a party

  Posted: December 17th, 2010, 9:04am PST by Aliya

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  17 December, 2010, Bratislava - Odyseus, SWAN representative in Slovakia, uses International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers in a more positive way. The sex workers are invited to a small party. There will be nice food, typical for this period of the year and small presents for each guest!

  Odyseus also puts energy to change the attitudes toward sex work and sex workers. In the framework of December 17 awareness campaign, Odyseus interviewed two sex workers and these interviews are available online here.

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  Ukraine: "Legalife" Press-release

  Posted: December 17th, 2010, 7:54am PST by Aliya

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  ... "In 2010, the State, for the first time, legally recognized the existence of sex workers in Ukraine and cemented this fact in the domestic legislation. In particular, the Order № 3123/275/770 “On approval of standards for the provision of social services to representatives of risk groups”, which establishes the definition of “persons in sex business”, was signed by three ministers and the profile is registered with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. On November 1, this binding for all authorities of the legal act entered into force."...

  Read whole Press-release in English here.

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  Macedonia: STAR invites you to the red umbrellas march

  Posted: December 17th, 2010, 6:17am PST by Aliya

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  On the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers STAR-STAR, the Macedonian organization advocating for the rights of marginalized professions, invites everyone to take part in the march of red umbrellas as a gesture of support for the rights of sex workers.

  Red umbrella symbolizes the protection from the heavenly and human attacks. Everyone knows the meaning of the red ribbon. The red umbrella has also become an international symbol. Join us with a red umbrella and make a contribution to the fight against criminalization and violence against sex workers.

  
  The march will start on December 17 at 7 pm in front of the Youth Cultural Centre in Skopje.
  Continuation of the march will be a friendly party!

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  Macedonia: Impromptu Sex Worker Action In Skopje

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 9:08am PDT by Aliya

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  This April 1st, fierce and fabulous STAR leaders Laura Feer and Tina made a spontaneous action for their rights. This action was all Laura and Tina, no donors, no organizations, just a fabulous idea and the guts to make it happen!

  Every April 1st, there is a large show in the city center of Skopje, Macedonia. Everyone comes out to celebrate together and attend the festivities. According to Laura: "On this day many citizens are there and so are many television crews. We decided to use the opportunity. We dressed up as girls. We came up with two slogans on signs. My slogan was "Bad law not bad whore" and Tina's was "Love the prostitute, fuck the police!"

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  Hungary: SWAN at WITNESS Video Advocacy Institute and Strategic meeting in Budapest

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 9:06am PDT by Aliya

  March, 2010, Budapest – The beginning of March proved to be busy and full of events for some of SWAN members. SWAN representatives from Tais Plus (Kyrgyzstan), Legalife (Ukraine), Humanitarian Action (Russia) and the SWAN secretariat were invited to Budapest by the Open Society Institute to take part in an intensive 5-day hands-on training in creating advocacy films.

  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.

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  Albania: Media sensitization training

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 9:03am PDT by Aliya

  On Saturday, May 29, 2010 the third and final generation of SWAN groups participated in a training on media sensitizations in Tirana, Albania. Genci and Enkelejda of Aksion Plus were gracious hosts in their beautiful city. Representative from sex work projects from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro and Latvia participated in the one-day event which also brought together sex workers from Hungary, Albania and Bulgaria.

  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.

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  Media Issues for Sex Worker Project in the Region (Generation III of SWAN Groups)

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 9:01am PDT by Aliya

  June 3, 2010
  By Anna-Louise Crago
  Over all the ethical breaches and problems surrounding media representation of sex workers echoed those of previous SWAN groups who did the media sensitization trainings. The fact that Hungary has a legalized system with tolerance zones contributed new dynamics and issues to think about.

  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.

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  Hungary: The How and Why of Getting High

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 8:59am PDT by Aliya

  Boglárka, of the newly renamed Association of Hungarian Sex Workers informs us about recent research on Hungarian sex workers and drug use. The findings deconstruct many stereotypes about who gets high and why.

  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.

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  Serbia: JAZAS expands services for sex workers and opens new drop-in center

  Posted: July 11th, 2010, 8:57am PDT by Aliya

  On October 8th, 2009, JAZAS, opened a new drop-in center for sex workers funded by the Global Fund called “Center for Support”. The center’s main activities are: the provision of legal advice by the law team; assistance by the social support team in obtaining documents necessary for getting ID, health insurance and social insurance; self-support activities for participants; and the development of promotional materials. HIV counseling and testing are also available at the center. Sex worker peer educators have been active in implementing all the activities and working with clients of the services. Their first hand experience has proved invaluable in promoting the center’s activities among sex workers. So far more than 300 services have been provided to more than 80 clients. The project’s goal is to reach 200 clients in its first year.

  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, ecjazas@gmail.com

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  SWAN Member Organizations Use December 17 for Campaign Purposes

  Posted: April 12th, 2010, 9:59am PDT by Aliya

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  Sex workers’ organizations across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia used the opportunity of the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to advocate SW’s rights. Below is a summary of the activities carried out be the organizations.

  • HOPSand STAR, Macedonia: workshops, screenings

  The Program for support of sex workers at HOPS organized a Human Rights week throughout 10-17 December with various daily activities.

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  SWAN Member Organizations Use December 17 for Campaign Purposes

  Posted: April 7th, 2010, 4:07am PDT by olga

  Sex workers’ organizations across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia used the opportunity of the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to advocate SW’s rights. Below is a summary of the activities carried out be the organizations.
  

  • HOPS, Macedonia: workshops, screenings

  read more

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  Ukraine is Continuing to Kill Sex Workers

  Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:54am PDT by olga

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  For the third consecutive year, on December the 17th sex workers called for society to respect the human dignity of persons involved in commercial sex, to combat discrimination and violence against one of the most marginalized groups of our society.
  

  "Half a year ago, a sex worker died a violent death in Kirovograd. Recently two male escorts who provided sexual services were killed in Sevastopol, and there are cases of girls disappearing. This year we recorded dozens of human rights abuse cases against sex-workers, occurring in almost half of Ukraine's regions” - says Irina Mishina, the chair of the Ukrainian league Legalife.

  read more

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  You Must Know About Me – Macedonian Sex Workers’ Campaign Video

  Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:50am PDT by olga

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  In Macedonia, as throughout the world, sex workers are pushed to the margins of society by a combination of prejudice, discrimination, and violence. Insults and hate plague their lives, pervade media reports, and direct the approach of social institutions. But the lives and livelihoods of sex workers comprise of much more and the conviction remains that the selling of sexual services does not justify denial of fundamental rights, to which all human beings are entitled.
  

  “You Must Know About Me” is a first-hand account of sex workers’ experiences and aspirations off and on the streets prepared by HOPS, SWAN's member organization in Macedonia. While dealing with the harassment and violence from clients, pimps, and the police, sex workers strive to counter the hostile public attitude by speaking out and fighting for basic rights. The video calls for zero tolerance of violence against sex workers, adequate investigation and prosecution of perpetrators, and coordinated response of social institutions to the actual needs of sex workers.

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  National Mapping of Commercial Sex Workers in Albania

  Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:47am PDT by olga

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  Albanian SWAN-member Aksion Plus have prepared the first national map on the sex work-scene in Albania. The findings are alarming.
  

  Significantly higher rates of HIV and STI infections have been documented among sex workers and their clients as compared to most other population groups within a country. However, the true extent of HIV transmission from sex workers and their clients to other populations remains generally unknown.
  Many factors significantly contribute to raise sex workers' HIV and STI infection vulnerability, such as: stigmatization and marginalization, limited access to socio – health and legal services, sexual exploitation and trafficking, exposure to violence and substance abuse.

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  Tais Plus and HOPS to Participate at Liverpool Harm Reduction Conference

  Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:45am PDT by olga

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  On 25th-29th April 2010, the 21st International Harm Reduction Conference is taking place where it was first established in Liverpool, England.
  

  Here is an update about sex worker and allies involvement, so far, in the conference. A major session on sex work has been accepted, this is supported by the International Sex Work Harm Reduction Caucus. The caucus is an informal network bringing together sex worker organizations and representatives and was formed in order to promote the inclusion of sex workers in debates about harm reduction and human rights particularly within this international forum. It is challenging to get a major session in the program so this is good news!
  

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  3rd SWAN network meeting a great success in Ohrid

  Posted: December 16th, 2009, 6:51am PST by Aliya

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  The meeting brought together 32 participants from 16 countries with the aim to exchange experience, share problems and find solutions, renew and strengthen the partnership ties and get to know new network members better.

  The aim of the meeting was to bring together sex worker activists and NGOs working on sex work issues in the SWAN region and in neighboring countries to discuss further strategies of the Network and its cooperation with other organizations to share their experience. Special focus was placed on developing a set of ways to address stigmatization and violence against sex workers and to develop a plan to document and report human rights abuse in the context of sex work in Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia (ECE/CA).

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  „You Are Not Alone, Together We Are Stronger”

  Posted: December 16th, 2009, 5:55am PST by Aliya

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  The Ohrid network meeting was preceded by an activists’ meeting. 18 sex worker activists turned the meeting room into an art workshop and a cafeteria to discuss issues and personal experience around sex work in their countries.

  In September 2009 SWAN’s third network meeting in Ohrid was preceded by a meeting of 18 sex worker activists from Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia. They gathered to participate in an advocacy training and to get to know each other better before the “bigger” meeting started. This training involved not only local sex workers from different parts of the country, but also hosted 13 sex workers from other countries of SWAN region. The language gap did not stop or discourage the participants from sharing their positive experience and ideas.

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  Report on the Ohrid Meeting in Hetérák

  Posted: December 15th, 2009, 2:07pm PST by Aliya

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  (translated from Hungarian)

  The participants included sex workers and representatives of organizations promoting sex workers’ rights from 16 countries . When checking in it was already clear that we were about to have a training of relaxed atmosphere with a team of nice, intelligent and funny people. The level of the hotel service further raised our mood.

  During the first two days, sex workers from different countries shared their experiences and what they had achieved in terms of sex workers’ rights. We met the Macedonian sponsors, HOPS, STAR, and STAR’s Macedonian newsletter for and about sex workers. (Which inspired us to make our own Haeteras newsletter.)

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  Media debate on sex work in Hungary

  Posted: December 15th, 2009, 1:55pm PST by Aliya

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  After a few years of relative silence on sex work legislation in the Hungarian media, the debate regained momentum this summer.

  Péter Sárosi, the Drug Policy Director of HCLU challenged the end-demand legislation proposal of MONA (a Hungarian NGO that promotes gender equality and aims to uncover the unfair or inferior treatment of women) and other anti-trafficking organizations. In a newspaper article Sárosi pointed out that even if sex work in Hungary is de jure legal, street sex workers are often harassed by the police, hundreds of them are arrested each month because municipalities reject designating tolerance-zones as the law orders. He called for the inclusion of sex workers into political decision making.

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  Sex Workers’ Association in Hungary Start Newsletter

  Posted: December 15th, 2009, 1:39pm PST by Aliya

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  The newsletter is titled Hetaeras (Hetérák) after the elite mistresses in ancient Greece who alone, among all Greek women, were allowed to manage their own affairs. We translated an article on an opinion poll on sex work in Hungary.
  

  Among other topics, the first issue deals with the entrepreneur’s license, a prerequisite for sex workers to operate legally in Hungary. Following is a brief summary of another article on how sex work is viewed by the general public in Hungary.

  
  Sex Workers’ Association in Hungary and Fact Institute conducted a joint survey to map views held by the general public on sex workers. The phone survey was done on a sample representing the adult population of Hungary in terms of sex, age, education and location of residence.

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  Kyrgyzstan: A Case Story – transgender migrant sexworker

  Posted: October 28th, 2009, 1:50pm PDT by Aliya

  The following story was documented and shared at the 24th Program Coordinating Board (UNAIDS) Meeting, Thematic Segment People on the Move in June of 2009 by Gulnara Kurmanova of Tais Plus, a SWAN member from Kyrgyzstan with the assistance from Selbi Jumayeva and published on the blog of Laura Agustin Border Thinking on Migration, Trafficking and Commercial Sex. The story tells about the surviving of sex workers - and in particular of migrant transgender sex workers - on the streets of Bishkek.

  About me: My name is Gulnara Kurmanova. I have worked in HIV programs in partnership with sex workers in Kyrgyz Republic, Central Asia, since 1997. We actively support sex workers’ empowerment and self-organization. I would like to present a story documented by me in my own country.

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  Slovakia: C.A. Odyseus Runs Cafeteria for Sex Workers on the Street

  Posted: September 29th, 2009, 9:11am PDT by arielle

  C.A. Odyseus, SWAN member in Slovakia, has introduced a new element in their outreach services for street sex workers. Street cafeteria though still a novelty, has already proved to be a successful step in making social work more accessible and involving for sex workers.

  “From July 2009 we started with street based cafeterias during our outreach work on Slovnaftska street.”, says Lubica Tornoczyova from Odyseus. “Slovnaftska is the area where street sex workers work and this part of the city is famous for trucks parking places. It is an area, which is very close to one of the busy road to the city center. There is a lack of any other services like drinking water, public phones, restaurants or other possibilities where sex workers might possibly refresh themselves or relax after work.”

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  Hungary: MPEE Holds Survey on Public Opinion

  Posted: September 28th, 2009, 10:29am PDT by arielle

  September 3, 2009, Budapest -- The Association of Hungarian Prostitutes (MPEE), a member of SWAN in Hungary held a press conference to highlight the results of a recent survey on the opinion of mainstream population about prostitution in Hungary.

  The Association of Hungarian Prostitutes has recently conducted a survey in partnership with the FACT institute. This survey was intended to study and understand what the Hungarian people think about the phenomena of prostitution. In addition, the survey investigates what people think about discrimination against prostitutes by the Hungarian authorities. Before analyzing the survey, it is important to know the legal background of prostitution and issues around sex work in Hungary.

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  Macedonia: Police Raid and Forced Testing of 23 Sex Workers in Skopje - UPDATE

  Posted: September 28th, 2009, 10:20am PDT by arielle

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  After the police raid that took place on 20-21st November, 2008 in Skopje, Macedonia during which 23 sex workers were detained and tested for HIV, HEP B and HEP C, both national and international human rights groups, sex workers groups, supporters and allies took a wide range of actions to raise awareness on the issue, protect the sex workers involved and prevent similar future violations.

  A coalition of NGOs and activists took the following steps to respond to the unjust and inhumane treatment of sex workers duing the police raid: they hired lawyers, made official complaints to every human rights protective mechanism in the country (Ombudsman, Sector for internal control within Mol, Commission for human rights within the Parliament etc.), alerted and collaborated with international allies, sent letters to the Government, maintained regular contacts with media, provided legal and psychosocial support to sex workers, among other actions.

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  Albania: Media Publishes Results of Survey with Sex Workers

  Posted: September 28th, 2009, 10:08am PDT by arielle

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  July 2009, Tirana --- Aksion Plus, an Albanian NGO and SWAN member since 2006, worked in cooperation with one of the main media outlets in Tirana to publicize interviews and focus group discussions with sex workers.

  Aksion Plus invited a journalist from one of the biggest newspapers in Tirana to participate in conducting interviews with sex worker groups. The journalist held interviews together with Aksion Plus’ peer-educator and social worker. The discussions took part in the office of the organization and in the street. The interviews revealed that conditions under which sex workers provide their services are far from being good in terms of hygiene. Also social support and childcare are lacking.

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