Project
Amplifying the Voices of Sex Workers
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Amount Funded
333,495 EUROProject Duration
01 Apr 2021 - 30 Apr 2024 -
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Lead organisation
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The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) is a regional network which supports member organisations across the Asia Pacific to take collective action for Sex Workers rights. With its regional Secretariat based in Bangkok, APNSW membership is open to all national SW networks, SW-led organizations, cooperatives, unions, and collectives across the region, as well as non-sex
worker-led community organisations that provide rights-based advocacy, health, and welfare services to sex workers.APNSW seeks to establish the Asia Pacific as a region which recognises sex work as legitimate work and where SW communities enjoy full access to, and protection of, their human rights. APNSW is grounded in the belief that human rights movements yield the greatest and most sustainable change when built upon the principles of community leadership, inclusivity, and the practice of intersectionality. As a regional network, APNSW realises its commitment to these values through the facilitation of community empowerment and capacity building programming which aims to strengthen Sex Workers’ organising skills and center the leadership of SW
communities within diverse, multi-level human rights movements.APNSW works to achieve this vision through a commitment to the following bold goals, concrete demands, and justice-based values:
- Promote and protect the human rights of SWs to live free from violence, abuse, stigma, and discrimination.
- Organize, mobilise, and empower SW communities to advocate for
their rights. - Build leadership and promote solidarity across SW communities to foster a strong, SW-led movement for SW rights.
- Build regional mechanisms for policy advocacy for SW rights.
- Implement regional programmes which promote knowledge exchange
amongst SW and SW rights organisations. - Advocate for legislative and policy reforms which protect SWs’ right live in dignity with self-determination and decent working conditions.
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Organisation
The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) is a regional network which supports member organisations across the Asia Pacific to take collective action for Sex Workers rights. With its regional Secretariat based in Bangkok, APNSW membership is open to all national SW networks, SW-led organizations, cooperatives, unions, and collectives across the region, as well as non-sex
worker-led community organisations that provide rights-based advocacy, health, and welfare services to sex workers.APNSW seeks to establish the Asia Pacific as a region which recognises sex work as legitimate work and where SW communities enjoy full access to, and protection of, their human rights. APNSW is grounded in the belief that human rights movements yield the greatest and most sustainable change when built upon the principles of community leadership, inclusivity, and the practice of intersectionality. As a regional network, APNSW realises its commitment to these values through the facilitation of community empowerment and capacity building programming which aims to strengthen Sex Workers’ organising skills and center the leadership of SW
communities within diverse, multi-level human rights movements.APNSW works to achieve this vision through a commitment to the following bold goals, concrete demands, and justice-based values:
- Promote and protect the human rights of SWs to live free from violence, abuse, stigma, and discrimination.
- Organize, mobilise, and empower SW communities to advocate for
their rights. - Build leadership and promote solidarity across SW communities to foster a strong, SW-led movement for SW rights.
- Build regional mechanisms for policy advocacy for SW rights.
- Implement regional programmes which promote knowledge exchange
amongst SW and SW rights organisations. - Advocate for legislative and policy reforms which protect SWs’ right live in dignity with self-determination and decent working conditions.
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Project
Sex worker (SW) communities in the four countries targeted by this project experience endemic levels of human rights violations due to social, political, and economic environments which foster anti-SW violence. Systemic and institutionalised violence against sex workers (VASW) not only violates SWs’ rights but inhibits the mobilisation of SW-led collective action and prevents public health initiatives from achieving robust penetration within SW communities.
APNSW aims to strengthen the capacity of SW rights movements to prevent and respond to all forms of violence targeting SW communities by mainstreaming the meaningful involvement and leadership of women and transgender SWs within national, regional, and global movements engaged in CEDAW advocacy.
Through Amplifying the Voices of Sex Workers APNSW develops and mobilises broad-based, multi-level movements for SW rights within national and international CEDAW advocacy spaces. APNSW collaborates with five APNSW member organisations working in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Laos, providing technical assistance for the implementation of
community-led activities. Project activities seek to foster the conditions necessary for SWs to realise and assert their power within an environment of respect, equality, justice, inclusion, and
dignity.
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Sex worker (SW) communities in the four countries targeted by this project experience endemic levels of human rights violations due to social, political, and economic environments which foster anti-SW violence. Systemic and institutionalised violence against sex workers (VASW) not only violates SWs’ rights but inhibits the mobilisation of SW-led collective action and prevents public health initiatives from achieving robust penetration within SW communities.
APNSW aims to strengthen the capacity of SW rights movements to prevent and respond to all forms of violence targeting SW communities by mainstreaming the meaningful involvement and leadership of women and transgender SWs within national, regional, and global movements engaged in CEDAW advocacy.
Through Amplifying the Voices of Sex Workers APNSW develops and mobilises broad-based, multi-level movements for SW rights within national and international CEDAW advocacy spaces. APNSW collaborates with five APNSW member organisations working in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Laos, providing technical assistance for the implementation of
community-led activities. Project activities seek to foster the conditions necessary for SWs to realise and assert their power within an environment of respect, equality, justice, inclusion, and
dignity. -
Breaking the Silence, Demanding Justice – Sex Workers’ Rights in Asia
“If we do not speak for ourselves, who will?”
For too long, sex workers in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, and Myanmar have been left out of legal protections, denied their rights, and subjected to systemic violence and stigma. While feminist and labor movements have made strides in human rights advocacy, sex workers have often remained on the fringes—until now.
The Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW), along with grassroots partners, launched a groundbreaking initiative to empower sex workers to lead their own fight for justice. This project did more than advocate—it challenged deep-rooted stereotypes, demanded legal recognition, and changed the way society perceives sex workers.
Beyond Advocacy: The Power of Sex Worker-Led Change
Sex workers are not passive recipients of aid. They are leaders, organizers, and change-makers. This project provided them with the tools, knowledge, and platforms to engage in policy discussions, demand legal reforms, and reclaim their dignity.
- In Bangladesh, parliamentary discussions on sex worker rights gained momentum, with community representatives participating in key meetings.
- In Indonesia, OPSI’s engagement with CEDAW resulted in an independent report—a major milestone in global advocacy for sex workers’ rights.
- In Laos and Myanmar, community-led initiatives documented violations against sex workers, shedding light on abuses previously ignored.
This was not just about raising awareness. It was about forcing institutions to listen and act.
Lessons Learned: What Worked, What’s Next?
Silence is the greatest enabler of violence.
- Many sex workers internalized the stigma and believed violence was inevitable. By creating safe spaces and leadership programs, the project helped sex workers reclaim their voice.
The media shapes public perception—so we changed the narrative.
- In Bangladesh, journalists were engaged to report ethically on sex worker issues, shifting the dominant narrative away from sensationalism.
Legal advocacy is more powerful when sex workers lead it.
- The CEDAW alternative report in Indonesia and engagement with national women’s commissions proved that sex workers must be at the table, not just in the conversation.
Feminist & LGBTQ+ solidarity is crucial.
- By engaging with feminist organizations and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, sex workers found new allies in the fight for rights and recognition.
The Fight is Not Over
The work does not end here. With momentum on their side, sex workers in Asia are ready to take this fight further:
- Expanding legal advocacy – Continuing engagement with CEDAW, national policymakers, and feminist networks.
- Strengthening global alliances – Connecting sex worker movements with labor rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts.
- Building media influence – Training sex workers in storytelling, content creation, and digital advocacy.
The message is clear: Sex workers deserve dignity, safety, and justice. And they will not stop until they get it.