Member Associations

The Union of Women Sex Workers of Paraguay (Unión de Trabajadoras Sexuales del Paraguay -UNES) is a grassroots organization founded in 2006 in Asunción by and for adult women who engage in sex work autonomously. As a member of Redtrasex, UNES advocates for the recognition of sex workers' rights, the elimination of stigma, and their social inclusion. Its main goal is to collaborate with the Paraguayan state to strengthen and expand guarantees for comprehensive healthcare access with a human rights approach. Through various projects, UNES raises awareness among healthcare professionals, distributes prevention packages (including condoms, lubricants, counseling, and rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B), and conducts community oversight visits to healthcare services. Additionally, it provides support to sex workers in accessing treatment and medical consultations. The organization promotes the political training of its leaders, builds alliances with feminist and human rights networks, and engages in public policy advocacy. UNES also works on developing legal frameworks that protect sex workers' rights, including legislative proposals such as the Sex Work Bill Proposal. Moreover, it carries out awareness-raising initiatives targeting key actors in the judicial, municipal, and governmental sectors. By strengthening partnerships with national and international organizations, UNES continues to advocate for the recognition and respect of sex workers' rights in Paraguay and across the region.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unes_py/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNESPY

Established in 1957 as a grass-root movement, the Mauritius Family Planning & Welfare Association (MFPWA) was one of the earliest organizations in Africa focusing on family planning issues. As the nation struggled to find a way to address pressing population issues, a group of advocates formed MFPWA and started to provide contraceptive services directly to women. In 2018 the MFPWA is governed by an Act of Parliament 2018 as a body corporate.  Today, the organization caters for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of the whole community. It also has particular strands of activity relating to specific groups including sexually abused children, elderly people, men and marginalized populations on Rodrigues and Agalega Islands.   MFPWA has 30 staff and 50 volunteers and offers services through 2 permanent facilities and several service points.  It also runs a day care centre for infants and children as a social enterprise initiative. The Association delivers services that include family planning, the prevention and management of HIV through voluntary counselling and testing, infertility management, antenatal and post-natal care, post-abortion care, the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and screening for cancers of the reproductive systems in particular breast, cervical and prostate.  The Association began its first rehabilitation of sexually abused children in 2003 and has built a solid reputation in the domain. Services for the rehabilitation of victims of gender based violence had been extended to Rodrigues Island on a pilot basis in 2019. The Member Association also operates peer-educator-led outreach programmes targeting work places, namely: hotels, manufacturing industries, call centres, male-dominated sectors such as transport, police, agriculture and fisheries.   MFPWA has played a critical role in promoting the integration of comprehensive sexuality education into the national school curriculum and its powerful, informed advocacy has been influential in shaping government’s agenda and policies on SRH and population issues. MFPWA partners with and advises government departments which address health, quality of life, women’s rights, child development, family welfare, social security and youth and sports.  MFPWA works with a large number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), para-statal and government institutions and international partners like UNFPA, Help Age International and the European Union.