Sex workers in Malawi have announced their intentions to demonstrate over what they claim is abuse of their rights, according to Nyasa Times.
They are reported to have said that their intended demonstration is to protect their rights.
Nyasa Times quoted the National Coordinator of Sex Workers Association of Malawi (SWAM), Zinenani Majawa as saying “We are not happy that in this age, we sex workers continue to face a lot of abuse and discrimination. When we need help from police and hospital, there is no privacy for us.”
Majawa said that the sex workers have “have arranged meetings with Police and the Ministry of health to present our complaints and if we are not assisted after that, we will hold demonstrations across the country.”
A local rights group, the Centre for Human Rights claimed to have received a lot of complaints from sex workers alleging abuse by Police officers and medical practitioners.
The group’s Salima district coordinator Mac Issa said “As a rights body here in Salima, we are really receiving many complaints from the sex workers and we believe it will be proper if Police as well as the DHO take time to investigate the allegations rather than just ignore it.”
Activities of commercial sex workers are frowned upon in many African countries with sex workers scorned in some instances.
Source: Africafeeds.com
