Emergence of SWASA

Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) is a collaborative effort between sex workers and supportive activists and organisations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The initiative aligns itself to the LGBTQI and women’s rights movements and other struggles of the marginalized and draws attention to violations of sex workers' rights in the region..
 
Our goal is to strengthen leadership among sex workers and build alliances with civil society to address harmful practices; advocate for change in discriminatory laws and policies resulting in improved HIV and health services and access to justice for sex workers. We intend to do this in the following ways: 

1. Strengthen the grassroots sex worker rights movement, 

2. Foster dialogue with rights-based movements specifically the feminist, queer, health and dalit movements, 

3. Use research and evidence to advocate with government, UN agencies, Commissions and panels, treaty body reporting  mechanisms to strengthen the rights of sex workers nationally, regionally and globally.

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