Sex Workers and Allies South Asia organised an activism space at Renew: Sex Workers Rights by CREA from 29-31 May 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal. SWASA held three interactive sessions, Sex Work University, River of Submissions, and Cross Movement Adda, in three days along with other spaces for sex workers, allies, and activists from across the South Asian region.

The highlight of the space was the spontaneous protest against the Submission of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women on prostitution and violence against women and girls. During the Summit, the report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SR-VAW) on Prostitution and Violence, 2024, was released. 

The report is an intentional slap on the decades of work done by rights activists and sex workers. The report ignores and sets back all the work of the UN system to recognize the rights of sex workers globally. 

Sex workers and allies from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka protested against the report, which is deeply stigmatizing, insulting, and a violation of the rights of all sex workers at SWASA Village at the #renew in Kathmandu, Nepal today, on 31 May 2024. 

Read the full report here: