Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce Campaigns for Legal Reform in South Africa

South Africa is at a critical point on the issue of sex work. As host of the 2010 World Cup, the country is engaged in widespread discussion and political consultations on how to respond to the increase in tourism and its potential effects on sex work.

According to UNAIDS, the current rate of HIV/AIDS among sex workers is over 50 percent. The national strategic AIDS plan calls for specialized approaches for preventing the spread of HIV among high-risk and marginalized groups such as sex workers, yet human rights abuses often prevent sex workers from accessing health services. 

Research conducted by OSI's Sexual Health and Rights Project reveals grave violations of sex workers' fundamental rights of due process, protection from discrimination and violence, and equal access to social services. These factors have led to a formal national policy discussion with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the need for legal reform regarding sex work.

Given this pressing context, OSI grantee the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) is engaging in a campaign for the decriminalization of sex work. Together with other civil society organizations, SWEAT is advocating for the removal of all laws that prosecute sex workers. Unlike legalization, this approach involves industry regulation rather than government oversight, and acknowledges human rights for all.

SWEAT's multi-initiative approach includes media engagement, policy debate, and coalition-building. It has compiled numerous issue, position, and discussion papers on sex work, current local and national laws, decriminalization, and sex work conditions.

For more information on the campaign and a complete list of resources, visit the SWEAT website.