Zimbawe: Former Minister Calls For Legalisation of Sex Work, Says Sex Workers Save Marriages
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Ex-Cabinet Minister, Nyasha Chikwinya says it’s time considerations are made to ensure the legalisation of sex work in Zimbabwe to realize a lasting solution to problems embedded in the profession. UNAIDS, a global lobby group places Zimbabwe among the 103 countries globally in which sex work is criminalised, sex workers remain unprotected by the law and subjected to various violations of human rights.
The lobby group has it on record that studies show that sex workers are victims of violence from partners, their clients and police thus exposing them to the risk of acquiring HIV. The prevalence of HIV among sex workers in Zimbabwe is recorded at approximately 42.2%. In addition to that sex workers face stigma and also lack of privacy from health care workers.
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During an Economic Justice Women Project ( EJWP) engagement meeting, the Ex-Cabinet Minister, Nyasha Chikwinya urged policymakers to treat matters of sex workers as a matter of urgency. She said,
“Our country has come a long way with this matter and what I believe is that if we fail to solve a problem the way we wish there should come a time when we accept what is on the ground. Sex work is a reality. It is time a push for its legalization commenced. That way we will be able to protect workers in this category from the rampant abuses they are facing. Many here would also admit that these sex workers are playing a pivotal role in our society by saving several marriages from collapse. Even if we reach that stage there will still be no problem at all because these sex workers are involved in a trade of selling a product which can still be taken back home in its original state,”
Goromonzi West Legislator, Beatrice Nyamupinga supported legalisation reiterating that it’s the avenue which can plug any issues associated with the secrecy surrounding the sex industry. Nyamupinga added, “Continued reluctance to recognize this suppressed but thriving sector continues to cause a lot of problems. In my Constituency at the ShowGround Area I have about four wards with some 300 people and among them are some sex workers who are contributing meaningfully towards the Constituency’s development. So I believe it is time serious debate is ignited on how this trade can be legalized.”
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