We recognise that sex work is work. We also recognise and deeply value the important work that sex workers’ rights activists and defenders do to protect and further sex workers’ rights, despite the many challenges, stigma, and discrimination they face in every realm of life.

As a feminist rapid-response grantmaker, we understand that crises and threats to activists’ security and well-being can look different for different communities. For sex workers, their mere identity and work means navigating threats to their safety and well-being every day. By extension, sex workers’ rights activists and defenders face countless risks as they respond to immediate threats from the police and other state actors, societal stigma and discrimination, and the criminalisation of sex work. They have limited access to resources and are seldom prioritised by traditional grantmaking organisations.

Urgent Action Fund, Asia & Pacific (UAF A&P) supports the resistance and resilience of women, trans, and non-binary human rights activists and defenders. Sex workers’ rights activists and defenders in Asia and Pacific have utilised our grants for security and well-being, strategic planning, and capacity-building.

We invite activists and defenders in Asia and the Pacific facing risks or in need of urgent support for reorganising, strategising, and capacity-building to apply for our rapid-response grants to sustain sex workers’ rights movements.

More details in the attached flyer. To apply, head to our grants page.