KELIN staff, Ted Wandera facilitating on HIV, human Rights and the law Picture By: KELIN/Edgar Makona
Sex workers in Kisumu County will benefit from a two-day training on HIV, human rights and the law from September 1 to 2, 2014.
The training, conducted by KELIN in partnership with KASH, is supported by the Aids Rights Alliance for Southern Africa.The training is conducted against the fact that the Kenyan law does not prohibit sex work, but punishes those who are living off the earnings of prostitution. The former municipal by-laws, which have since been adopted by some of the county governments, outlaw “loitering for the purpose of prostitution,” “importuning” for the purpose of prostitution and “indecent exposure,” These are the laws that police officers and county askaris use to arrest sex workers.
Legal penalties on sex workers and the assignment of criminal status to all sex workers, regardless of any particular arrest, charge or prosecution, contribute to their social marginalisation.
This condemnation brings in widespread discrimination, stigma, violation of human rights guaranteed by the Constitution such as the right to equal protection of the law, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, freedom from torture and other inhumane and degrading treatment, freedom from discrimination, and denies sex workers access to health as guaranteed by Article 43(1)a of the Constitution.
The objectives of the training include:
- Enhancing participants’ understanding on HIV, human rights and the law;
- Enhancing participants understanding on documentation of human rights violations and how to seek redress; and
- Enhancing participants ability to conduct a successful advocacy campaign for the promotion, respect and protection of the rights of key populations.
Some of the topics that will be discussed during the training include, human rights, documentation of human rights violations, constitutional provisions supporting sex work, penal provisions affecting sex work and understanding advocacy.
By the end of the training, it is expected that participants will be able to recognize human rights violations against sex workers, document and forward such cases to the appropriate organizations and will be able to come up with an effective advocacy strategy to challenge the government to enforce their rights and begin the lobbying process with members of their County Assembly to decriminalize activities related to sex work.
We welcome contributions to the conversation through the social media platforms below:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KELINKenya hashtag #Justice2health
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kelinkenya
