Sex work interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention and control. Legal and Policy gaps - Kenya's experience

An abstract by Ngugi E N, Morris C, Moses S, Gikuni A, Schwartz U from the 15th International Conference on AIDS Bangkok, Thailand. abstract no. TuPeE5393. A central issue in Kenya with regards to sex work is that it is illegal and the existing law is ambiguous and discriminatory. The Strengthening STD/HIV/AIDS Control Project has lobbied to have sex work decriminalized to facilitate better STD/HIV/AIDS prevention and care at national level. The Government of Kenya has granted approval for the project to work with sex workers and clients. To date it is working with 15,000 FSWs and 5,000 male clients in a more than a dozen sites. These sex workers are empowered to promote and use condoms. Empowered Female Sex Workers met the HIV/AIDS Legal Task Force in June 2002 and presented their views to Lawyers and religious leaders. The message was in bold, 'Decriminalize sex work and stop harassing women.' (abstract adapted from authors' own)