UN Women and RedTraSex join forces to eradicate violence against women
Date:
On August 3, 2016 was held in Panama City a meeting between UN Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean and the Women's Sex Workers Network for Latin America and the Caribbean (RedTraSex, by its acronym in Spanish), where common interests were identified to coordinate efforts to eradicate violence against women.
The meeting was held with the representatives of the board of RedTraSex: Azucena Rodríguez Corzo, Fidelia Suarez, Herminda Gonzalez, Samantha Carrillo, Lucy Esquivel, Haydee Lainez Cabrera and Elena Eva Reynaga, who is the Executive Secretary of RedTraSex and also an alternate member of UN Women’s Civil Society Advisory Group for Latin America and the Caribbean. The reunion was also attended by Panama’s National Representative for the Women in Law and Dignity Organization, Gladys Murillo, and RedTraSex technical advisers Andrea Mariño and Carlos Mesa. For UN Women, assisted Luiza Carvalho, Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean, and Edgar Carrasco, HIV and Gender Equality Specialist.
During the encounter, RedTraSex detailed some of the situations faced by sex workers in the region: working conditions, abuse of power, institutional violence, discrimination, criminalization and the absence of a regulatory framework to protect their human rights, with the aim to joint efforts to create strategies to improve their quality of life and reduce their exposure to violence.
RedTraSex shared also with UN Women, information on the work they have done in the region, as well as reports, research and further evidence on female sex workers.
During the meeting was also agreed to seek opportunities for dialogue and joint work within LAC countries, between national female sex workers organizations affiliated to RedTraSex, and UN Women Country Offices.