PREVENT HARASSMENT

Group helps Kisumu sex workers fight for their rights

They work with the police so that they can apply the law correctly

In Summary

• Keeping Alive Societies’ Hope has given legal aid to sex workers in Kisumu West, Central and East in the last year. 

• It is funded by the European Union through Amkeni Wakenya programme to address the concerns raised by the group.

Acting EU Ambassador to Kenya Katrin Hacemann with the press in Kisumu
Acting EU Ambassador to Kenya Katrin Hacemann with the press in Kisumu
Image: faith matete

An NGO is helping sex workers, who are victims of rape, murder and arbitrary arrests, to fight for their rights. 

Keeping Alive Societies’ Hope has given legal aid to sex workers in Kisumu West, Central and East in the last one year. 

It is funded by the European Union through Amkeni Wakenya programme to address the concerns raised by the group.

The organisation's executive director, Thomas Abol, said they have worked with commercial sex workers who continue to face harassment during their work.

Speaking to the press in Kisumu after hosting acting EU Ambassador Katrin Hacemann, Abol said they are working with a chain of government officials to implement the project.

He said they are working closely with Courts Users Association to ensure challenges sex workers encounter once they are arrested and arraigned are addressed.

"We work with the structure of justice. We support courts to hold court users committee sessions. We also work with the police so that they can apply the law correctly when they come across members of this community".

Abol said their work has prevented persons from ending up in prisons and those committed to jail given community work instead. 

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