Malawi sex workers demand their righs, threaten to demonstrate
Representatives of sex workers from the central region have repeated a call for protection of their rights, claiming the minority group is still facing a lot of abuse and rebuke from various sectors of the society.
The remarks were made by the National Coordinator of Sex Workers Association of Malawi (SWAM), Zinenani Majawa during a sex workers interface meeting held in the resort district of Salima on Sunday.
“We are not happy that in this age, we sex workers continue to face a lot of abuse and discrimination. When we need help from police and hospital, there is no privacy for us,” she revealed.
Majawa warned that the sex workers will organize a protest if they continue to face abuse in the hands of law enforcers and health service providers.
“In two weeks time we have arranged meetings with Police and the Ministry of health to present our complaints and if we are not assisted after that, we will hold demonstrations across the country,” she said.
Centre for Human Rights District Coordinator for Salima, Mac Issa said that his office receives a lot of complaints from sex workers alleging abuse by Police officers and medical practitioners.
“As a rights body here in Salima, we are really receiving many complaints from the sex workers and we believe it will be proper if Police as well as the DHO take time to investigate the allegations rather than just ignore it,” he said.
Salima Police Publicist, Gift Chitowe said that the Police would make a comment after meeting the group.
Public Relations Officer for Salima District Hospital,Angella Nyongani said that they have never received any complaint from sex workers on any type of abuse by the health workers.
Akugoneni kumene thus what sex worker means vindele, shameless people. If you know Malawi, don’t even bother to demonstrate becoz nobody will support you except those stupid so called human rights groups, shupiti
..a nation of fools and perverts. We criminalize prostitution on one side, we register an association of sex workers(prostitutes) on the other. This is a kangaroo republic indeed. That’s why all manner of criminal acts – murder of spouses/girl or boyfriends, raping of children under 9 years old, ripping of state coffers, blatant abuse of public resources, killing of albinos for senseless rituals, voting/election fraud, cheating on exams.
All the above are so regular that they are rules rather than exception in this country called malawi………………
We have more challenges in Malawi to entertain this no sense. This is why we are poor. Lets set our priorities right
Its even absurd and a mockery to our country to have a body recognised representing sex workers when indeed our constitution still doesn’t recognise this trade. Prosititution is illegal they can’t demand rights and let them strike then arrest them for confessing to a crime of illegal trade. On humane point of view stop victimising the prostitutes if u want to indulge in this immoral and illegal business just do it to the terms otherwise u r forcing these workers to start demanding what they can’t get for now……their rights.
Sins including sexual sins must be rebuked
Our constitution does not legalise prostitution (sex work as they put it). This is one of the reasons why their “business” never faces tax. Where do these people get the guts to threaten to demonstrate then? Their rights need to be protected as human beings but not on the basis of sex work. If the government is to tolerate this, then let definitive PAYE be imposed on this sex workers. IT’S HIGH TIME THE GOVERNMENT WERE TO TAKE A CLEAR STAND ON PROSTITUTION.
Minority group? Rights? They’re whores!!! Prostitutes!!! All the sad stories aside, what they’re doing for money is disgusting. The only thing they can do to earn respect is quit doing it.
Koma ziliko