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Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Work

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2019 Asijiki Coalition protest in front of the Parliament of South Africa holding red umbrellas and signs saying 'sex work is work'. They thanked President Cyril Ramaphosa for his efforts to decriminalise sex work.[1]

The Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Work (or simply "Asijiki Coalition") is a South African-based civil society coalition that advocates for the full decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa. The coalition was formed in August 2015 consisting of a membership of over 70 Organisations including individual activists (such as Ayanda Denge), human rights defenders, lawyers, sex workers, and academics.[2][3][4]

Member Organisations

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Asijiki members include Amnesty International, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, African Centre for Migration and Society, Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, Commission for Gender Equality, COSATU, Doctors Without Borders (MSF-SA), Legal Resources Centre, UCT Gender Health and Justice Research Unit, One in Nine Campaign, Oxfam South Africa, Rape Crisis, Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) etc.

Asijiki is the Zulu word meaning 'no turning back' and the coalition was formed in an effort to safeguard the human rights of sex workers, and advocate for the full decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa. Several prominent non-governmental Organisations in South Africa form the Steering Committee for the Asijiki Coalition,[5] including Sonke Gender Justice, Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), Sisonke (National Sex Workers Movement in South Africa), and the Women's Legal Centre.

History

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Poster reading 'sex work is work' with a sunflower sculpture in the background.

The launch of the Asijiki Coalition garnered attention from several news outlets in South Africa. For example, Health24 criticised the 'shameful history' of sex worker murders in South Africa, specifically Cape Town, and voiced support for the Asijiki Coalition's work.[6] In December 2015, individual members of the Asijiki Coalition gave testimony in South Africa's Gauteng Provincial Legislature, listing the difficulties and barriers that they face as a result of the criminalisation of sex work in South African law.[7] Asijiki Coalition has advocated for sex workers' access to healthcare, police harassment, assault of sex workers, the high incidence of murders of sex workers in South Africa, and other barriers experienced by sex workers as a result of the criminalisation of sex work.[8][9][10] The Asijki Coalition uses workshops, advocacy, and creative activism to spread awareness on the many issues that affect sex workers and to call for the full decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa. The coalition has specifically stated that for them, full decriminalisation means the decriminalisation of both sex worker and client such as the approach used in New Zealand, and not the Nordic model.[11]

Activism

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Asijiki Coalition is active in both grassroots and high level advocacy efforts, as well as some notable examples of artistic or creative activism. In 2018, Asijiki partnered with the Central Methodist Mission on Greenmarket Square in central Cape Town to display a banner reading "Jesus was the first to decriminalise sex work."[12][13] In 2019, the coalition presented a giant sunflower to South Africa's then newly elected President Cyril Ramaphosa to thank him for, and remind him of, commitments he had made to decriminalise sex work in South Africa.[14][15] Asijiki was also actively involved in placing pressure on South Africa's Department of Justice and Constitutional Development regarding the delay in publishing the final South African Law Reform Commission's report on sex work in South Africa but was dismayed by the content of that final report.[16] The Coalition engages with university groups,[17] researchers,[18] Chapter 9 institutions, as well as participating in more traditional forms of activism such as picketing and protest.[19]

Asijiki Awards

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Edwin Cameron Asijiki Award

A further form of activism used by the Asijiki Coalition is the presentation of the Asijiki Awards. These awards are presented to allies as well as prominent public figures or organisations that have supported the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa.

In 2016, the Asijiki Award for Courage & Initiative was presented to Sir Elton John at the 2016 International AIDS Conference in Durban.[20]

In 2019, the Asijiki Award for Solidarity & Hard Work was presented to South Africa's #TotalShutdown Movement, and the Asijiki Award for Service & Humanity was presented to retired Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron.[21]

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  • Image of a red umbrella with the words 'sex work promise' on it, against a backdrop of South African flags.
    Image of a red umbrella with the words 'sex work promise' on it, against a backdrop of South African flags.
  • Red umbrellas with "sex work is work" written on them, against the backdrop of the SA flags outside South Africa's Parliament in Cape Town.
    Red umbrellas with "sex work is work" written on them, against the backdrop of the SA flags outside South Africa's Parliament in Cape Town.
  • Protestors protesting for the full decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa
    Protestors protesting for the full decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Velani Ludidi (5 June 2019). "Sex workers thank Ramaphosa". GroundUp. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  2. ^ Ratlebjane, Mosibudi (15 October 2015). "Legal happy ending eludes 'those people'". The M&G Online. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  3. ^ "SGJ: Launch of the Asijiki Coalition for the decriminalisation of sex work". Polity.org.za. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  4. ^ Furlong, Ashleigh (28 August 2015). "Coalition launched to decriminalise sex work". GroundUp News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  5. ^ "ABOUT US -". Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  6. ^ "The lives of sex workers are not negotiable". News24. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Sex workers have their say in legislature | IOL News". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  8. ^ Furlong, Ashleigh (3 March 2016). "What would you do if your sister was a sex worker?". GroundUp News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  9. ^ Furlong, Ashleigh (1 June 2016). "Why sex workers don't trust cops". GroundUp News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Book on 'unwritten rules of sex work' published | Cape Times". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  11. ^ Maduna, Lizeka (4 February 2019). "Asijiki Coalition: Decriminalise Sex To End Workers' Agony". The Daily Vox. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Cape Town church calls for decriminalisation of sex work". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  13. ^ "'Jesus was the first to decriminalise sex work' - banner at Cape Town church". News24. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Sex workers thank Ramaphosa". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  15. ^ Ludidi, Velani (5 June 2019). "Sex workers thank Ramaphosa". GroundUp News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  16. ^ Merwe, Marelise Van Der (29 May 2017). "Analysis: What happened to the sex work report?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  17. ^ "Rainbow Week: embracing inclusivity". www.news.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  18. ^ Yingwana, Sally Shackleton, Elsa Oliveira, Rebecca Walker and Ntokozo (28 April 2019). "RIGHT OF REPLY: Decriminalising sex work is the only rational choice to end stigma, discrimination and violence against sex workers". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Furlong, Ashleigh (15 June 2017). "Sex workers demonstrate during Cyril Ramaphosa's speech". GroundUp News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  20. ^ "The fight for "fun"damental rights for sex workers in South Africa". OpenGlobalRights. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  21. ^ "Asijiki Coalition". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
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