From December 2-5, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand, Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) hosted Sex Workers’ Conversations with Feminist Allies at the AWID Forum 2024. This dynamic space provided an opportunity for feminists from across the world to visit the…
The Abhimani Women’s Collective and SWASA conducted a series of focus group discussions female and trans sex workers from Colombo and Gampaha to explore their social, legal, economic, and sexual and reproductive health challenges. Hosted at the Trans Equality Trust,…
This study by Standup Movement Sri Lanka examines the status and experiences of female sex workers (FSWs) in Sri Lanka, with comparative insights from India and Thailand. The report highlights how legal frameworks, social attitudes, and economic structures perpetuate…
This series of empowering stories of five sex workers from around the island is a product of Prajadiriya Padanama to showcase the lived experiences of sex workers. Voices from the Shadows
This initiative by Standup Movement Lanka showcases the lived experiences, hardships, challenges and violence faced by sex workers in Sri Lanka. Diary of a sex worker
Context: Media reporting on sex work in India continues to be shaped by a narrow, crime-centric lens, with little distinction made between consensual adult sex work and the crime of human trafficking. This framing sidelines the voices of sex workers, who are more…
In Brief:
In 2025, SWASA’s efforts to further sex workers’ rights in South Asia was strongly connected to global platforms beginning with our engagement at the 90th Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) held in Geneva, S…
From December 2-5, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand, Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) hosted Sex Workers’ Conversations with Feminist Allies at the AWID Forum 2024. This dynamic space provided an opportunity for feminists from across the world to visit the…
The Abhimani Women’s Collective and SWASA conducted a series of focus group discussions female and trans sex workers from Colombo and Gampaha to explore their social, legal, economic, and sexual and reproductive health challenges. Hosted at the Trans Equality Trust,…
This study by Standup Movement Sri Lanka examines the status and experiences of female sex workers (FSWs) in Sri Lanka, with comparative insights from India and Thailand. The report highlights how legal frameworks, social attitudes, and economic structures perpetuate…
This series of empowering stories of five sex workers from around the island is a product of Prajadiriya Padanama to showcase the lived experiences of sex workers. Voices from the Shadows
This initiative by Standup Movement Lanka showcases the lived experiences, hardships, challenges and violence faced by sex workers in Sri Lanka. Diary of a sex worker
Kururnegala District in the North Western Province in Sri Lanka came under COVID-19 threat early in the pandemic. During the country’s first lockdown from March to May 2020, a number of cases were identified from the district. When the lockdown was lifted in May 2020,…
The lives of sex workers in India are extremely challenging. Living on the intersects of grey laws, policies, morality and social bias, they have found it difficult to eke out a livelihood with dignity. Since 2011, there have been gradual shifts in the understanding…
India has over 8 lakh sex workers, historically forced to live in the shadows. They are brutalised by society and State. They seek justice against wage theft by law enforcement, petty criminals, and non paying clients. Despite being highly vulnerable to HIV and…
Interview with Meena Saraswathi Seshu | Empowering Sex Workers & Fighting Discrimination In this compelling interview, I sit down with Meena Saraswathi Seshu, the trailblazing founder of NGOs such as Sampada Grameen Mahila Sanstha (SANGRAM), Veshya Anyay Mukti…
Recognizing the importance of social media the world over, and identifying it as a need for the community, SWASA Nepal has been mobilizing CBOs, SWAN, JMMS to use the social media platforms like X.com (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and cloud-based communication…
Introduction The advocacy and communication training was conducted by Meena Seeshu, Aarthi Pai from SANGRAM and Shanti Tiwari from SWASA on 26-27 May, 2022 with 20 leaders from CBOs The objective of the training was to make participants clear about the two…
A video podcast titled “Violence against women marginalized by profession” was jointly produced in collaboration with SWASA Nepal, Jagriti Mahila Mahasangh, Yatra Creatives and YoSHAN (Youth-led Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Advocacy Nepal) a youth-led…
In August 2025, Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) hosted a groundbreaking roundtable in Colombo titled “Sexual Service Providers – Rights and Realities.” The dialogue brought together feminist activists, legal experts, labour rights advocates, and sex workers…
The meeting is intended to discuss sex work, feminist perspectives, and advocacy in Bangladesh. It will particularly focus on sex workers’ rights, health, and the challenges they face. The meeting aims to foster a collective understanding among feminists and activists a…
On 2-3 October 2024, Naripokkho organised a two-day workshop on developing a guideline for sensitive reporting on sex workers following the recommendations during the VAMP Institute cross movemnet dialogue “Sex Work: Feminist Faultlines”. Sex workers,…
SWASA Bangladesh started the initiative to host a weekly online meeting for the sex workers in Bangladesh. Every Monday, at 11 AM BST (UTC +6), sex workers from across the country come together and share their personal and professional updates. The meeting works…
SWASA Bangladesh, partnered with Ashar Alo Society, held a two-day training from 8 to 9 September 2024. One representative from 14 CBOs that SWASA is currently partnered with attended this two-day VAMP Institute. The objectives of the training were: Strengthening and…
Reports on CBO Planning Meeting 2024 – Bangladesh Read here!
Praja Dirirya Padanama based in Puttalam district in Sri Lanka operates a dropping center for sex workers. They also provide daily nutrition for sex workers and their families during the Covid19 pandemic. They use theatre to counter patriarchal narratives that…
Based on Sexperinces: COVID 19 SEXPERIENCES: A Collection of Stories by Sri Lankan Sex Workers
Submitted by: The Grassrooted Trust / Standup Movement Lanka/ Community Encouragement Foundation / SWASA North/ Trans Equality Trust Email – swasa.southasia@gmail.com / paba@grassrooted.net This submission can be published on the UN website for public…
A public discussion on ‘Women’s Histories of Sex Work in Sri Lanka’ was held on 12 December 2023, from 9.00 – 14.00 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Sri Lanka. This event was part of a series of exhibitions, workshops, trainings and…
This annexure presents case studies on sex work in Sri Lanka, compiled and submitted to the CEDAW Committee in January 2025 by Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) and partners.
This limited series podcast enters the world of sex work during Sri Lanka’s civil war. Over six episodes that share real-life experiences of women sex workers and interviews with people that are working with them as allies, this series focuses on the struggles…