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Informed and empowered: Guyana sex workers mobilize
for effective HIV prevention for loggers and surrounding communities
S. Wilson1, N. Singh2, M. Edwards3
1International Labour Organization, AIDS, Beterverwagting, Guyana, 2International Labour Organisation, AIDS, Georgetown, Guyana, 3One Love, Kwakwani Park, Guyana
Issues: The HIV prevalence rate among sex workers in Guyana is
16.6%. Sex workers in Guyana
have traditionally been trained to protect themselves and their clients from
infection. In addition to reducing vulnerability by training sex workers on how
to protect themselves and their partners, they are empowered to form partnerships
for community change, thereby reducing further their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.
Loggers
are a significant segment of the migrant workers' population in Guyana. They
tend to engage in transactional sex with local sex workers. Moreover, regular
access to condoms is difficult in these communities, increasing the risk of HIV
transmission
Description: In 2009 the International Labour Organization (ILO) partnered
with the One Love Organization, a national NGO which addresses needs and
concerns of sex workers in relation to HIV/AIDS. The ILO assisted One Love in strengthening
its capacity in programme development and implementation with the objective of
promoting HIV prevention among loggers in riverain communities with a core package
of services including condom promotion, VCT and STI
referrals. Through this partnership, 15 of One Love's members and affiliates were
trained in peer education, peer counselling and community mobilization skills,
thereby enabling them to actively engage their communities in HIV prevention education
Lessons learned: This successful partnership
demonstrates that sex workers can be powerful advocates for HIV prevention. In
addition, when sex workers have information on risk reduction and building partnerships
for community change, they contribute significantly to reduction of HIV
vulnerabilities for their own benefit and that of their clients, and for the
larger local community.
Next steps: ILO will replicate this successful partnership with other
sex workers' groups/organizations to reach different groups of workers in Guyana.
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