European Red Umbrella Academy

Why?

Sex Workers remain a vulnerable population group that is difficult to reach by HIV prevention and treatment services. At local and national level there are only few Sex Work activists willing to assume a leading activist role. HIV activists on the other hand often lack the understanding of the specific vulnerabilities, needs and barriers that might prevent sex workers from accessing HIV services. Often sex workers are not connected to or represented in local HIV organizations which makes collaboration difficult. Current priorities of the HIV movement such as stigma and discrimination, access to services or PrEP are also rarely discussed in collaboration between Sex Work and HIV activists. Regional consultations on such topics are rare or inexistent.

What?

The aim of the project is to foster collaboration between sex work activists and HIV activists through two means. On the one hand, it aims to enhance the understanding of HIV among sex work activists as well as of the realities faced by sex workers among HIV activists. On the other hand, it aims to develop practical models for collaboration at local level. Another aim is to produce position papers on topics identified by sex work and HIV activists to be used for education and advocacy purposes at national, regional and global level.

With whom?

Main target groups of the project:

• Sex workers
• Sex work advocates
• PLHIV
• HIV advocates

How?

The project is an initiative of ICRSE and EATG and is implemented in partnership. Its first edition consists of a regional sex work and HIV activists training, bringing together 24 activists from 8 countries. The training is followed by national one-day trainings for local sex worker communities on topics related to HIV. Furthermore, the project includes the development of briefing papers on topics identified by the participants for advocacy and education purposes.

The training will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to HIV: HIV life cycle, transmission, treatment options, history of HIV
• HIV combination prevention
• Realities of sex work in Europe
• Needs and barriers of different groups of sex workers with regards to access to HIV services
• Specific vulnerabilities: stigma and discrimination, criminalization
• Collaboration possibilities between sex workers and HIV activists

For what outcome?

• An international network of Sex Work activists and HIV activists is created through the training that will support each other and assume a leading role in promoting the collaboration of sex workers and HIV activists.
• In 8 countries specific collaboration formats between sex workers and HIV activists are discussed and agreed upon to make HIV services more accessible to sex workers.
• Sex Work activism is strengthened and sex workers in 8 countries are empowered to take practical actions to make HIV services more accessible within their communities.
• HIV organizations in 8 countries sensitized about the specific vulnerabilities, barriers and needs of the local sex worker community.
• The project will directly reach 220 Sex Work activists and HIV activists.
• Three position papers are developed and presented at key conferences and events.