Reproductive Health Matters
Volume 25, Issue 51, 2017, Pages 95-102

Let's talk about sex work in humanitarian settings: piloting a rights-based approach to working with refugee women selling sex in Kampala (Article) (Open Access)

Rosenberg J.S.* , Bakomeza D.
  • a Gender, Sexual Health and Human Rights, Chicago, United States
  • b AIDS Information Center of Uganda, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

Although it is well known that refugees engage in sex work as a form of livelihood, stigma and silence around this issue persist within humanitarian circles. As a result, these refugees’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, and related vulnerabilities, remain overlooked. Their protection and health needs, which are significant, often go unmet at the field level. In 2016, the Women’s Refugee Commission and Reproductive Health Uganda partnered to pilot a peer-education intervention tailored to meet the needs of refugee women engaged in sex work in Kampala. Findings from the pilot project suggest the feasibility of adapting existing rights-based and evidence-informed interventions with sex workers to humanitarian contexts. Findings further demonstrate how taking a community empowerment approach can facilitate these refugees’ access to a range of critical information, services and support options–from information on how to use contraceptives, to referrals for friendly HIV testing and treatment, to peer counselling and protective peer networks. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Sex work key population Community empowerment peer-education human rights Humanitarian response HIV

Index Keywords

Humanitarian refugee Family Planning Services human Refugees Relief Work Women's Rights health service priority journal procedures sex worker Uganda Health Services Needs and Demand Reproductive Health Services Young Adult Humans psychology Adolescent female pilot study welfare Contraception supply and distribution prostitution peer group women's health Article peer counseling organization and management adult health education Sex Work Sex Workers contraceptive behavior empowerment family planning Pilot Projects

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042559310&doi=10.1080%2f09688080.2017.1405674&partnerID=40&md5=806282d33ddddcd8262498fa5308c775

DOI: 10.1080/09688080.2017.1405674
ISSN: 09688080
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English