Members of Mujeres con Dignidad y Derecho have been invited to several workshops and meetings to give their voice as sex workers.

The Panamanian National Program on STD, HIV/AIDS invited sex workers women from Mujeres con Dignidad y Derecho, among other key actors, to validate the data and information sources of the basic indicators of the National Report on Progress in Fight against AIDS. Data were presented at the II National Forum on Monitoring and Evaluation in the Context of Pemar population.

During the same meeting and in order to know the advances developed in the country by various actors involved in the HIV Response, members of Mujeres con Dignidad y Derecho were invited to give a talk, to share their work in front of hundreds of people . The exhibition dealt with the strategies of the organization working on HIV/AIDS. “We are very proud that we are taken into account in this important workshop,” said Juana Torres, leader of the Panamanian institution that integrates RedTraSex.

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Among the numerous activities, the fellows of Panama were invited to validate a manual for sex workers women, which addresses issues such as dealing with customers and care for sexually transmitted diseases, among other topics of interest to sex workers. According Juana Torres, during the meeting they spoke of “prevention and the problems we had with our customers, our rights and discrimination received by the police”.

On the other hand, they participated in a meeting organized by the National University of Panama, along with other organizations, to elaborate on strategies to address gender violence against women. “We feel RedTraSex is taking a very positive role in meetings, and begins to have a positive effect in the feminist movement that begins to include sex workers women, respecting their self-determination as free women and sovereign in their own lives,” said Elena Reynaga, Executive Secretary of the Network, in relation to the work done by the focal point of the network in Panama.

We welcome these opportunities for consultation and interdisciplinary work where the voice of the workers women is heard and taken into account. Without doubt, be consulted on issues that affect us, will take a step forward in the recognition of our rights and our ability as women to social change.