Global Network of Sex Work Projects

Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) is an organisation that advocates for the health and human rights of sex workers.^[1] It is a private not-for-profit limited company, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and founded in November 1990.^[2] NSWP is a membership organisation, with members from five regions (Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Caribbean). NSWP publishes resources, including briefing papers, policy briefs, community guides, global and regional reports, smart guides, statements, the Research for Sex Work Journal, and case studies. It supports the decriminalization of sex work.^[3]

NSWP advocates for sex worker representation at international policy forums. It "credits itself as largely responsible for sex work replacing prostitution as the go-to terminology for institutions such as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO)."^[4]

Manifesto

NSWP's website states:

NSWP amplifies the voices of sex worker-led organisations advocating for rights-based services, freedom from abuse and discrimination, freedom from punitive laws, policies, and practices, and self-determination for sex workers. NSWP works primarily with sex worker-led regional networks, and facilitates sex worker-led capacity building.^[5]

History

Global Network of Sex Work Projects was founded in November 1990, at the 2nd International Conference for NGOs working on AIDS,^[2] and was registered in the UK in 2008.^[6]^[7]

In 2008, it received $60,000 in grant funding from Open Society Foundations.^[8]

In 2009, it was appointed co-chair of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) "Advisory Group on HIV and Sex Work",^[9] established to "review and participate in the development of UNAIDS policy, programme or advocacy documents, or statements".

Publications

NSWP consensus statement

In 2013, NSWP released a consensus statement on sex work, human rights, and the law which details eight essential activism goals of sex work-related advocacy groups.^[10] They include the right to:

Associate and organise;
Be protected by the law;
Be free from violence;
Be free from discrimination;
Privacy and freedom from arbitrary interference;
Health;
Move and migrate; and
Work and free choice of employment

Research for Sex Work journal

Research for Sex Work 8: Sex Work and Law Enforcement. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2005.
Research for Sex Work 9: Sex Work and Money. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2006.
Research for Sex Work 10: Sex Workers’ Rights. Issue 10. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2008.
Research for Sex Work 11: Sex Work and Pleasure. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2009.
Research for Sex Work 12: Sex Work and Violence. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2010.
Research for Sex Work 13: HIV and Sex Work. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2013.
Research for Sex Work 14: Sex Work is Work. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2015.
Research for Sex Work 15: Resistance and Resilience. Edinburgh: NSWP, 2016.

Contributions to publications

Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries: recommendations for a public health approach. Geneva: World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, UNAIDS, NSWP, 2012.

Controversy

In 2015, former NSWP vice president Alejandra Gil was convicted by a Mexico City court and sentenced to 15 years in prison for human trafficking.^[11]^[12]