FDID-SL raps on sex workers
The Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and Development, Sierra Leone (FDID-SL) has ended a one day sensitization workshop in Freetown on the theme, “Addressing the complex health and safety needs of commercial sex workers.”
The workshop which was held on Thursday, September 20 at the Christian Health Association Sierra Leone (CHASL) in Brookfield, West of Freetown, attracted members from non Governmental organizations and youth groups who affirmed that the concept and ideology of FDID-SL should be practiced.
In his statement, the Acting Executive Director of Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and Development, Sierra Leone (FDID-SL), Mr. Habib T. Kamara, said his organization has been relentlessly working cordially with people in different communities in promoting the use of condoms and the protection of human beings from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases especially HIV and AIDS.
He further said that in 2012 members of his group visited ten centres within Freetown where commercial sex activities are usual. He also stated that they have been able to convince staff of the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat for a contract in February this year to further promote abstinence, faithfulness and the use of condoms among young people in the society.
Mr. Kamara disclosed that his group has an activity report on a nationwide survey on population on “Men having sex with other men,” (MSM), Injecting drug users (IDUs) and Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs), adding that the result clearly stated that commercial sex work is highly practiced among young people in the country.
H e further disclosed that FDID-SL was contracted by the National AIDS Secretariat and UNAIDs for the implementation of the project activity. He stressed that more effort is needed to convince these commercial sex workers who disapprove of the use of condoms that it is safer for them to use condoms. He maintained that better funding from donors across the world will likely help address this issue.
Mr. Kamara said that commercial sex workers are threats to the wide-spread of sexually transmitted diseases and that they are of esteem concern to his group.
Knowing that prostitution is illegal in Sierra Leone, these commercial sex workers are faced with physical and emotional abuse by their clients, neglect by traditional providers of security and stigmatization and the wider community.
He further stated that the United Kingdom and particularly the Foreign Secretary have earmarked support for sexual violence as a scourge in many societies across the world and particularly in Africa.
Mr. Kamara revealed that commercial sex is available in different guises, albeit all under the cover of darkness and that his group does not support an illegal activity or push for its legitimization. He further disclosed that the project has been designed to create space for the acceptance of the problem of the lack of protection of human rights more broadly and specifically the component of sexual violence and abuse meted out to a vulnerable group who have no legal status, yet their activities are tactically approved.
Regarding the misunderstanding between the law-enforcing body, commercial sex workers and the public, Mr. Kamara said that access to sexual health information, increased projection from the security sector to reduce incidences of abuse and exploitation, and the wider community “acceptance” of the real situation are among other issues stated in the project document to address issues that affect commercial sex workers in the Diaspora especially Sierra Leone.
“We will bring other stakeholders on board to help us facilitate discussions and build strategies that will help us address the issues of commercial sex workers in the country,” he concluded.
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