As the world prepares to honour the International Day for sex workers, in Kenya sex workers have decried inaccessible reproductive health human rights violations.
International Whores’ Day or International Sex Workers’ Day is observed annually on June 2 of each year to honours sex workers and recognise their often exploited working conditions.
The International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) Kenya and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in their 2022 report on the ‘Female Sex Workers Programme’ estimated that in the last decade, the number of female sex workers (FSWs) in Kenya has increased by 26 percent.
In 2012, Kenya used geographic mapping, with 32 out of the country’s 47 counties participating, to estimate that there were 1,33,000 FSWs. In 2018, this exercise was repeated, revealing an increase estimated at 1,67,940.
Various studies have also been highlighting the vulnerability of FSWs to increased risks of violence, poverty, medical negligence, and mental health issues including suicidal thoughts.
‘Mental Health Challenges and Perceived Risks Among Female Sex Workers in Nairobi,’ a 2022 report by BMC Public Health also highlighted the need for micro and macro interventions to address these issues.
Nguvu Change Leaders, Deborah Monari and Arnold Osano have been strongly advocating for safe and reliable healthcare for all citizens in Kenya, and on this International Sex Workers’ Day, they are amplifying their campaign to seek preventive and promotive medical services for vulnerable populations like FSWs.
“One of the constantly recurring concerns among women in Kenya is the poor quality of health services. Female Sex Workers are exceptionally vulnerable to medical ill-treatment, abuse, neglect, discrimination, and abandonment. On International Sex Workers’ Day, we are seeking concrete action from authorities to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for FSWs,” said Deborah.
Arnold Osano has already launched an online campaign, urging the National and County Government Departments of Public Health and Sanitation to prioritise resource allocation towards improving the standards of healthcare services.
He also highlights factors such as insufficient drugs, a low number of service providers, poor service provision conditions, and poor sanitation in healthcare facilities, forcing Kenyans to purchase drugs from private chemists and clinics at high costs.
“Female Sex Workers face threats of serious health problems such as sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancies. There is an unmet need for contraceptives among them, but they cannot access it due to the high cost. The situation calls for urgently launching a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health plan for them,” add the Change Leaders.
In 2023, Deborah Monari launched an online petition that achieved victory to ensure that the right to reproductive health is not denied to underserved women.
She says, “When the Nairobi City County Finance Bill 2023 was proposed, they were going to introduce charges for essential family planning services and products like contraceptive implants and post-abortion care. This would have spelled disaster for Female Sex Workers, women, and teenagers from low-income homes.
The proposed law would have limited their access to those healthcare services (in primary health centers and district hospitals) by making them exorbitantly priced. FSWs and women from disadvantaged families would not have been able to afford them.”
Although significant cost reductions were achieved, Monari emphasizes the need to ensure reproductive health services remain accessible and affordable across the country, highlighting it as a fundamental right to health and bodily agency.
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