Empowering Sex Workers in Eswatini with Voice and Choice Summit 2023
"Discover how Voice of Our Voices (VOOV) in Eswatini uplifts sex workers and addresses challenges through interventions like economic strengthening and advocacy for human rights at the Voice and Choice Summit 2023."
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Presentation Transcript
Project/Category Sex work Interventions Eswatini Banele Zwane Voice of Our Voices (VOOV) Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Summary Add photo or video VOOV Background VOOV Interventions Challenges And way forward Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Background Add photo or video Voice of Our Voices is a Sex worker led organisation that was established in Eswatini in December 2017. this was through a supergroup of sex workers who supported each other and gained recognistion for capacity development through Pact Eswatini to get registered. As expected we could not be registered as sex workers but as vulnerable women Thus far VOOV has reached just over 14000 sex workers in the country their childrene and clients through different interventions Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Target Groups Sex workers (female, male, LGBTQI) 18+ Children of Sex workers Cliennts of Sex workers Add photo or video Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Key activities Econonomic Strengthening is one of the interventions at Voices of Our Voices as means to respond to drivers of sex work, structural barriers sex workers face when they access services as well as means for building confidence in the individual by decreasing vulnerability. here we have vocational skills building, education support and money of finacial literacy activities Education, Mobilisation and referral for Health care and other social security services Sensitization sessions for police, health care workers and other public services institutions . Hosting the national Sex workers Indaba every year National and regional sex workers supergroup meetings GBV education and support through expert partnership (ESWAGAA) Advocating for law reform in laws that criminilise sex work and deprive sex workers from reaching the full human potential VOOV is part of the Key Populations (KP) and LGBTBQi+ consortiums advovating for Human Rights Voice of Our Voices (VOOV) is part of the KP sensitization team represented by a sex worker ambassador working with the ministry of health to address issues of stigma and discrimination in law enforcement and health institutions in Eswatini Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Partners Eswatini Ministry of Health (MoH) TranSwati Add photo or video House of our Pride (HOOP) Health Plus For Men The Rock of Hope SISONKE ASWA FHI360 PACT Eswatini UNDP Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Challenges Add photo or video Lack of resources to expand interventions (funding cut off leaves us vulnerable) Penetrating government structures to inform change Societal and religious perspectives towards sex work police brutality, intimate partner violence and isolation Stigma and Discrimination in health care facilities Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Strategies to overcome challenges Add photo or video VOOV just completed her 5 year strategic plan In the process of an 3 years Advocacy plan development capacity Building in resource mobilisation for the organisation to carry out community interventions Create partnership and improve community enagagement in informing interventions Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Results/ significance of this change? Confident sex workers Improved access to health care and other social security services began conversation on sex work and the issues faced by sex workers providing alternative sources of income besides sex work Job opportunities for sex workers through the organisation Meaningful representation in platforms where decisions that affect sex workers are made. Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Evidence that your organisation contributed to this change? Facebook Page (Voice of Our Voices Eswatini Website voiceofourvoices.org References from partners mentioned above verification from sex workers in Eswatini Reports and minutes of meeting, activities and workshops Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
Sustainability/next steps Resource mobilisation and creating new partnerships Implemetation of the VOOV 5 year strategic plan Completion of the VOOV Advocacy plan Through Voice of Change Voice and Choice Learning and Sharing Summit 2023
