UNAIDS Country Director Eva Kiwango has reacted to the South African Cabinet’s decision to propose a Bill that will repeal the criminalization of sex work.
KFN reports that the South African Cabinet’s proposal to end criminalization and safeguard sex workers from abuse and exploitation is applauded by UNAIDS.
Eva Kiwango, UNAIDS Country Director in South Africa was quoted saying: “The evidence is clear: Criminalisation has been proven to have increased the risks faced by South Africa’s sex workers, hurt their health and safety, and obstructed South Africa’s HIV response.
UNAIDS welcomes South Africa’s Cabinet’s proposal to repeal criminalisation and to protect sex workers against abuse and exploitation.
Criminalisation has impeded South African sex workers’ access to vital health-care services, including effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.
To end AIDS, we need to repeal the harmful punitive laws which are perpetuating the pandemic. To save lives, decriminalise.”
Access to essential health care services, such as effective HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services, has been hampered in South Africa because of criminalization of sex workers.
