Sex Work and Human Rights Symposium
Event Address: Ataturk Bulvari No: 129 Kavaklidere
As Pembe Hayat LGBTT Solidarity Association, we are organizing Sex Work and Human Rights Symposium at Best Hotel Ankara, on 5 -6 March 2011. We hope that the event, which will be organized in order to attract attention to the problems of sex workers, including discrimination, hate crimes, violence, stigmatization, lack of legal and ‘de facto’ protection; to bring the demands of sex workers up and to reach a broader public, will pave the way for sex workers in Turkey to increase their voice as the agents of a more visible and stronger movement.
We want to focus on “sex work”, to learn about the experiences of sex workers in different countries and to produce solutions together with sex workers, academics, legal experts and human rights defenders both from Turkey and from countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Sweden and the UK.
We invite everyone who wants to share ideas, provide suggestions and tell about his/her/hir problems to the Sex Work and Human Rights Symposium, which is organized on the prompting of World Sex Workers Day – 3rd of March.
II. TRANS NETWORK MEETING
Upon the call of Pembe Hayat Association, trans individuals from several cities of Turkey will meet in Ankara on 4 March 2011. Moderation of the network meeting for which Voltrans, Women’s Door and Istanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association, which are the self-organisations of trans individuals, and trans individuals from LGBT organisations will attend, will be carried out by the feminist activist Ilknur Ustun.
The meeting, which is financed by Civil Society Development Center [STGM], will be carried out as the continuation of the first meeting which was held on 22 – 23 November 2010. After the problem areas based on gender identity and gender expression and suggestions which were discussed in the first meeting, II. Trans Network Meeting will be built on possible strategies.
EVENT PROGRAMME
5 March 2011, Saturday
13.00 – 14.30: “General Morality”, Stigmatization, Violence
Dr. Sam Winter, Hong Kong University, Transgender Asia Director
“Transgender Sex Work, Stigma, Psychiatry and Death”
Demet Demir, Women’s Door
“Attacking Morality: Ulker Sokak Experience”
Eylül Çevgen, PurpleHand Eskisehir LGBTT Initiative
“Sex Work and Sexual Violence: An Experience”
14.45 – 16.15: Work Life and Occupational Security
Buse Kılıçkaya, Pembe Hayat LGBTT Solidarity Association
“Sex Work and Physical Safety Problems”
Ozge Yenier Duman, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey
“Psychological Safety of Sex Workers After Physical Attacks”
Ela Aktürkoğlu, UN HIV/AIDS Programme Manager
“Sex Work and HIV from the UNAIDS Perspective”
Şevval Kılıç, Women’s Door
“Sexual Health and Sex Work: Problems, Strategies”
16.30 – 18.00: Which Feminism: “Are Sex Workers Included in the Feminist Movement?”
Eylem Çağdaş, Women’s Door
“Sex Work and Feminist Women’s Movement”
Müge Yetener, Socialist Feminist Collective
“Sex Workers As Agents of Feminism”
6 March 2011, Sunday
13.00 – 14.30: Labour Based Movement: “Red Umbrella & Unionisation”
Elcin Kurbanoğlu, Bilkent University PhD Student
“Why Do Sex Workers Strike?”
Thierry Schaffauser, STRASS – Sex Workers Union in France
“Syndical Movement of Sex Workers in France and in the UK”
Sinem Kuzucan, Pembe Hayat LGBTT Solidarity Association
“Sex Work Union Initiative in Turkey : Red Umbrella”
Zübeyde Kılıç, Education and Science Employees Union President
“Unionist Movement and Organisation Possibilities in Turkey”
14.45 – 16.15: Legislation: “Legal Discrimination?”
Muhtar Çokar, Human Resources Development Foundation
“Sex Work, Values and Legal Regulations”
Petra Ostergren, Author
“The Swedish Ban Against Sex Purchase: Claimed Effects and Symbolic Meanings”
Habibe Kayar, Lawyer
“Problems of Sex Workers in Access to Legal Protection: Case Examples”
16.30 – 18.00: International Sex Workers’ Movement
Khartini Slamah, Asia-Pacific Network of Sex Workers Director
“Sex Worker Transwomen: Claiming Our Rights!”
Santy Layno, STRAP
“Philipino Trans and Sex Workers: Unexpected, Unseen”
Pye Jacobbson, Rose Alliance
“Challenges in Self-Organisation of Sex Workers in Europe”
Luca Darkholme, International Union of Sex Workers
“Organising Open Sex Workers university and Film Festival”
* Pembe Hayat thanks to Human Resources Development Foundation and Women’s Door, who provided assistance to Pembe Hayat during the organisation process through providing ideas; and have carried out important works on sex work issues in Turkey.
