Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read. We're so excited to tell you about ESWA's first Congress!
First of all: who are we?
The European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance is a sex worker-led network proudly representing 100+ organisations in 30 countries across Europe and Central Asia. Our aim is to ensure that all sex worker voices are heard and that their human, health and labour rights are recognised and protected.
You can find out more about us and our work here!
What is the ESWA Congress?
ESWA's first Congress is an amazing opportunity for sex workers from across Europe and Central Asia to meet each other, network, collaborate and strategise.
Sex workers are among some of the most marginalised people in the world and we continue to face an uphill struggle to secure our rights.
In recent years we have seen governments in France, Israel, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland adopt the discredited ‘Swedish Model’ of sex work criminalisation. We have also seen greater criminal penalties introduced for sex workers in Serbia and a hardening of regulatory approaches in Germany and the Netherlands. These measures have devastating consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable.
In spite of all this hardship, there is hope! This year, Belgium became the first country in Europe to fully decriminalise sex work. In July, the Catalonian Parliament in Spain voted to reject criminalisation. And ESWA's newest member United Sex Workers launched a pioneering legal challenge against discriminatory bans on strip clubs.
Our Congress helps our community to organise, mobilise and fight back.
As the fight for sex worker rights continues, ESWA's Congress presents an invaluable opportunity for our community to share the individual challenges and successes that each of us faces in our respective countries, and learn from one another.
Over several days in October, our Congress will host dozens of workshops on sex workers’ rights, legal frameworks, access to justice, health or digital rights. On top of that, we'll be hosting a public conference and event at the European Parliament!
You can read more about our Congress here.
What do we need?
We want to make sure that as many voices as possible are represented from different regions of Europe and Central Asia, as well as those who experience additional forms of marginalisation or discrimination. This includes migrant workers, racialised groups, people living with HIV, those with a disability and the LGBTI+ community.
For that, we're asking for your support to raise €10,000 to help bring as many members of our community to participate in our Congress as possible.
This money will cover costs including accommodation, food and travel.
Individual costs vary, but we estimate this money will help us to include up to 20 additional people. Even the smallest donation helps!
If you can't donate, please help us spread the word. Share this campaign with your network and post about it on social media!
