Dear Colleagues, TRANS LGBIQ and SEX WORKER community,

We are happy to share this wonderful news with you.

Lilit Martirosyan, the Founder and President of the Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO, has been elected Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) Management Committee Member.

Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO being the leading transgender advocacy organization in the region in Armenia, promotes the involvement of sex workers in all spheres of life, preventing stigma and discrimination against sex workers, ensuring a safe and prosperous environment for them.

Lilit Martirosyan has repeatedly raised the issue of continuing inhuman treatment, stigma and discrimination against sex workers at local and international levels. This platform is another opportunity to fight for the full implementation of the rights of sex workers.

Many problems for sex workers are not solved in Armenia yet, in particular:

• Sex work is illegal.
• Sex workers are fined.
• Sex workers are subjected to violence.
• Sex workers are stigmatized and discriminated against.
• Sex workers are persecuted and ridiculed.
• Sex workers’ pictures and videos are published by the police many times, which endangers their safety.
• Sex workers are ignored and neglected by the society.

Lilit Martirosyan, being SWAN Management Committee Member, will do her best to help the whole SWAN team build a safe, prosperous life for sex workers not only in Armenia but around the world.

#SexWorkIsWork #MyBodyIsMyRight #IAmTheOwnerOfMyBody

Apr 8, 2021 Armenia Yerevan