Programme Overview

As part of the SWIPE project (sex worker inclusive policies and programmes in Europe) ESWA is developing participatory research on the impact of stigma and discrimination on sex workers’ access to health.

To document the experiences of sex workers across Europe and Central Asia, ESWA is launching an online consultation. The first part of this consultation is an online questionnaire open to all sex workers (current and former) in Europe and Central Asia. In the second part of the consultation, focus groups will take place in 10 different European countries.

The goal of the participatory research is to document stigma and discrimination faced by sex workers in healthcare and HIV services.

The research uses an intersectional perspective considering the stigma and discrimination faced by sex workers, including LGBTQI+, migrant and racialised sex workers, sex workers living with HIV, sex workers with disabilities and parent sex workers. The research will help us address stigma and discrimination faced by sex workers.

The participatory research will result in several different resources: a briefing paper, a tool kit and a workshop. In the briefing paper, ESWA will review existing resources on the topic and analyse the outcomes of the online community consultation. ESWA will also develop a tool kit with key recommendations for healthcare professionals and institutions. Lastly, ESWA will set up a workshop for healthcare professionals to address stigma and discrimination in healthcare and HIV services.

Research and tasks

ESWA is recruiting 10 sex workers from 10 different European countries to conduct 2 focus groups with 10 sex workers at national levels to gather data on the impact of stigma and discrimination faced by sex workers in healthcare and HIV services at national levels.

The sex worker consultant tasks are:

• Attend meetings with ESWA staff to discuss the questions and ethical issues related to setting up the focus groups
• Translate the questions from English into their own language
• Conduct the focus groups:
  • Approach and identify 10 sex worker participants
  • Find venue to conduct the 2 focus groups
  • Manage financial compensation for participants and travel costs
  • Host 2 focus groups of 4-6 participants (minimum 1,5 hours for each focus groups)
• Summarise the findings of the focus groups (5 pages notes minimum) including attributable quotes from the participants
• Translate the findings of the focus groups into English (with the help of DeepL or other softwares if possible)

Timeline

Budget

The overall budget is 800 euros (VAT included) to conduct the interviews and focus groups. This includes compensation for the participants in the focus groups and costs covering travel of the participants, catering and venue. 

The national consultant will be compensated upon completion of the deliverables as described above. The compensation of deliverables will be proceeded after a quality assessment and the approval of the ESWA Executive Director in consultation with the Director of Programmes and Programme Officer. Tasks that are not delivered or have not reached the expected outcomes will not be compensated.

Who can apply?

The call is open to all sex workers in Europe and Central Asia. Priority will be given to sex workers who are part of an ESWA member organisation.

ESWA encourages sex worker consultants from different regions in Europe and Central Asia to apply to ensure geographical diversity.

ESWA values diversity and encourages applications from individuals with sex work experience and welcomes applications from all sections of the community, especially transgender and gender-diverse people, racialised people, people with a migration background, and people living with HIV.

Application process

If you are interested, please fill in the application form by the 16th of April (23:59 CET).

Applicants will be contacted by the 23rd of April.

If you have any questions contact [email protected]