This assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on sex workers’ access to health services in Europe and Central Asia was developed by the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) and the Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) through consultations with their membership.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and Central Asia, sex workers have reported extreme concerns with the dramatic impact on their living conditions, including the ability to earn a living and access to health. ICRSE and SWAN have published several statements, as well as calls for action and policy demands, to alert authorities and policymakers about the situation. This resource was developed as part of a monitoring exercise to document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures on sex workers’ access to health services. Whilst the resource does not intend to be exhaustive and final, it gives a detailed overview of the issues faced by sex workers in accessing health services, and brings focus on some specific needs and demands of sex workers in Europe and Central Asia. In particular, it highlights the crucial work done by community-led organisations to fill the gaps in health services, protect sex workers and their families from risks of COVID-19, HIV and STIs and support their safety and security.
This resource is available in English and in Russian.
