15 Aug Sex workers demand decriminilization
Lagos, Nigeria (Womensenews) – Thirty Patricia Okan, a commercial sex worker. “Sex work is the same as any other profession,” she says. “There are challenges, but I thank God that puts food on my table.”
Okan, a widow, says that poverty is the main catalyst that forces women to begin to engage in commercial sex work, which in Nigeria is an offense and is punishable by imprisonment.
Almost 65 percent of Nigerijcite live below the internationally defined poverty line of $ 1.25 a day, according to latest statistics of UNICEF. However, official statistics on the number of sex workers in Nigeria are inaccessible.
After her husband died, Okan fight to survive. In the end, she disobeyed the advice of her one friend to try the sex thing.
During this year, fifty commercial sex workers marched through Falomo, popular area of Lagos Island in southwestern Nigeria, calling for respect for their rights.
Margaret was a key organizer of what, executive director of Safe Haven International, nigerijska CoA lobby group representing girls and women, especially commercial sex workers, and state coordinator of the African Sex Worker Alliance, a regional project that strives to end violations of human rights of sex workers.
The march marked the International Day of the rights of sex workers was first celebrated on March 3rd of 2001.
“The march has become a global event,” – says that. “The first was held in India, where 25 thousand sex workers gathered to celebrate sex work. Otkogash in many other countries have maintained the march. “