In July-August 2020, the “Right Side” Human Rights Defender NGO held nine webinars. There were 15-20 sex workers participating in each one. The webinars were quite informative by their format and were conducted by relevant professionals. The first webinar was conducted by Artur Margaryan, the lawyer of the “Right Side” NGO. Within the scope of that webinar, he raised sex workers’ awareness by introducing the participants the ways of working with the RA Police and their rights protection mechanisms in police stations.
The main topics of the other webinars were the protection of the rights of sex workers, their right to health and meaningful engagement in advocacy processes. The webinars were conducted by Nora Petrosyan and Lilit Martirosyan, who were discussing with the participants such issues as reduction of discrimination against sex workers, sex workers’ safety during and after COVID-19, prevention of violence against sex workers, the need to form mutual aid groups, identification and solution of their problems.
The webinars have been effective for the participants as during the Coronavirus, sex workers’ problems have become more critical and the ways for the solution of those problems have been decreased. Although life has already been transferred to the online platform due to CIVID-19 outbreak, that is not an obstacle for the “Right Side’’ NGO to organize events for raising the awareness of sex workers, of course, by keeping all precaution rules of the public safety.
“Right Side’’ Human Rights Defender NGO would like to express its gratitude to the Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) for standing by our side during this difficult time, as well as to the experts for conducting the webinars and sharing vital and necessary information with the community. After all, “Right Side’’ Human Rights Defender NGO is thankful to all the participants for active participation, for their will to be educated, develop their competences and for their desire to become a community leader.
Sep 23, 2020 Armenia, Yerevan
