In Cambodia, sex workers face stigma, violence, and exclusion from even the most basic rights, such as healthcare, legal protection, and identity documents. The criminalisation of sex work not only strips women of legal recourse against abuse, but it also entrenches unsafe workplaces, police harassment, and exploitation by venue owners. At its core, criminalisation is a direct denial of workers’ rights.
Yet sex workers are building collective power to change this reality. ‘Protecting the Rights & Dignity of Sex Workers’ is a project run by Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA’s long-term partner Association to Support Vulnerable Women (ASVW), and it’s building practical solutions and organising for systemic change.
This is how sex workers are tackling the criminalisation of their work:
1. Peer-to-peer education and organising
ASVW trains sex workers as peer educators, who share health and legal information in Phnom Penh’s red-light districts and beyond. This model reaches women who are often isolated, transient, or new to the city. Through workshops on gender-based violence, women’s rights, and workplace safety, sex workers are becoming leaders in their communities. Recently, nine peer educators completed a national advocacy training with NGO-CEDAW, equipping them to campaign against violence and exploitation.
Stories like Choum’s (name changed for privacy) show the transformative impact of collective organising. Once voiceless, she joined ASVW in 2007 and became a peer educator after training in women’s rights and HIV prevention. Today, she advocates nationally, helps women secure health services, and challenges exploitation in entertainment venues. “Before, I was voiceless,” she said. “Now, I can speak up for myself and for other women.”
2. Securing identity and recognition
Without ID cards, sex workers cannot access healthcare, banking, or government services. ASVW supports women to apply for documentation, realising their rights and citizenship. This year alone, women from five provinces and three Phnom Penh districts secured ID cards with ASVW’s help, opening doors to state services and protection.
3. Advocacy for decriminalisation
ASVW is pushing for full decriminalisation of sex work, linking the issue to core labour rights: protection from violence, access to social security, and safe working conditions. Advocacy also extends to social decriminalisation, challenging stigma through community events. On International Women’s Day, sex workers stood alongside commune-level officials and civil society at Toul Sangke pagoda, with local authorities publicly supporting their participation in governance–a small but significant shift in attitudes.
4. Building power in numbers
At the heart of ASVW’s work is organising. Membership has grown to nearly 1,000 women across Phnom Penh, giving sex workers a stronger collective voice. Regular meetings, home visits, and community events provide space to share experiences, document abuse, and develop strategies for safer workplaces. By linking with national advocacy networks, ASVW ensures that sex workers’ rights are not left out of policy debates.
“Before, many women felt alone and powerless,” explained one peer educator. “Now, when abuse or illness happens, they know they have support, and they know their rights.”
Looking ahead
Despite limited resources, ASVW has developed practical solutions to persistent challenges like workplace exploitation, medical costs, and stigma. Partnerships with healthcare providers and legal services fill critical gaps, while peer educators accompany women to clinics and offices for support.
With a new three-year partnership with Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA starting in July 2025, ASVW plans to expand its work by strengthening peer networks, building economic empowerment programs, and increasing outreach to women in hard-to-reach areas.
The message is clear: sex workers are workers. By organising collectively, they are demanding dignity, safety, and justice, rights that should never be criminalised.
“Sex workers are standing together, not only for their own dignity but for their right to live as equal citizens,” said ASVW Program Coordinator, Choub Chanthy. “That is how real change begins.”
This project is part of Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA’s women’s equality program with contributions from unions including HACSU, NSWNMA, and QLD Nurses/APHEDA.
