Find here the second of a couple of not yet anywhere published documents by the Alliance of Women Advocating for Change (AWAC) partner organization. AWAC is an umbrella network of grass root female sex worker led organizations in cutting across the 6 regions of Uganda. It was established in 2015 by female sex workers (FSWs) to advance health rights, human rights, socio-economic rights and social protection for FSWs and other marginalized women and girls including their children in Uganda. Geographical focus areas encompass: slum areas, islands, landing sites, transit routes, mining, quarrying, plantations, road construction sites and border areas in Uganda
Risk Factors, Mental Health and Psychosocial Needs, and Coping Among the Children Under the Care of Female Sex Workers and Adolescent Girls Surviving in Sex Work Settings: a Rapid Assessment
Download the study here
PEAH is pleased to publish a study titled “Risk Factors, Mental Health and Psychosocial Needs, and Coping Among the Children Under the Care of Female Sex Workers and Adolescent Girls Surviving in Sex Work Settings: a Rapid Assessment” as a work by AWAC-Uganda not published anywhere before.
The study is grounded on reality that …children of female sex workers and adolescent girls surviving in sex work settings face unique risks including stigma and discrimination, exposure to sexual abuse and gender based violence. Numerous studies have documented the health problems of female sex workers; however, there has been no or limited research documenting the well-being of children of female sex workers and adolescent girls surviving in sex work settings. Most programs focus on supporting the female sex workers without special attention to their children who could be secondary targets. Another major gap identified is that these children and adolescents’ category are not documented among the classification of special needs of children.
On this background the study aimed at …identifying the risk factors, mental health, psychosocial needs and mechanisms of coping by children under the care of FSWs and adolescent girls surviving in sex work settings of Kampala, Gulu, Mbarara, Wakiso and Busia in Uganda.
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Brief History about AWAC
The Alliance of Women Advocating for Change (AWAC) is an umbrella network of grass-root female sex worker led-organizations in Uganda. Established in 2015 by the champions of the female sex worker movement to promote meaningful involvement and collective organizing of rural & peri-urban Female Sex Workers (FSWs) – including FSWs living with HIV/AIDS, using/injecting drugs, chidren of sex workers and adolescent girls & young women (AGYWs) operating in high risk areas. Such areas are; slum areas, landing sites, transit routes, mining, quarrying and boarder areas to strengthen a unified, vibrant, national, and sustainable FSW led movement Uganda.
AWAC is registered with the NGO Board under Reg. No. INDR140811523NB and was also granted her permit to operate countrywide as an NGO under File No. MIA/NB/2018/10/1523.
AWAC areas of implementation include; Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Busia, Tororo, Kabale, Isingiro, Kyotera, Masaka, Rakai, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Kasese, Kabarole, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge, Kyegegwa, Bundibugyo, Mbale, Jinja, Arua, Yumbe, Hoima, Gulu, Nakasongola, Kiryandongo, Masindi, of Kiryandongo, Lira, Arua, Kitgum, Pader, Amuria, Kaberamaido, Moroto, Soroti, Kotido, Nepak, Luwero, Kabongo, Napiripiti, Mityana, Buikwe, Iganga, Bugiri, Namayingo and Kalangala.
AWAC’s Vision statement: “A supportive policy and social environment that enables rural & peri-urban based grassroots FSWs to live free from human rights abuse in order to live healthy and productive lives in Uganda.”
AWAC’s Mission statement: “To strengthen a unified, vibrant, national, and sustainable female sex workers (FSWs) movement to advocate for an enabling environment and access to comprehensive sexual health rights, social and economic services for rural & peri-urban based grassroots FSWs in Uganda.”
AWAC’s Objectives: 1. To strengthen advocacy for improving access to universal health care services among female sex workers in Uganda 2. To expand advocacy and social mobilization for sex workers’ human rights and acceleration of sustainable development goals in Uganda 3. To strengthen the economic empowerment and resilience of female sex workers in Uganda 4. To strengthen feminist movement building of female sex workers to confront their own challenges in Uganda 5. To strengthen the institutional capacity of AWAC to effectively deliver her strategic plan and mandate in Uganda.