adminMartha Leboho
A local Non-Governmental Organisation has engaged the services of commercial sex workers in the mobilisation of people to register as voters under the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The NGO, Economic Justice for Women Project (EJWP) was using the commercial sex workers as BVR campaign ambassadors at Ngundu and Chivi Growth Point.
EJWP executive director Ms Margaret Mutsamvi said her organisation was committed to facilitating the elimination of inequalities that exist between men and women in levels of participation, competency and returns in economic activities.
“We develop women’s competences and potential in high value economic activities by increasing their awareness on their economic rights, training, coaching and mentorship,” said Ms Mutsamvi.
She said her organisation was targeting to work with women in the 16-34 age group, who were prepared to organise themselves and engage stakeholders on changes they want to see.
Ms Mutsamvi said they decided to rope in commercial sex workers for the BVR campaign in Ngundu and Chivi because of their high population concentration at the two growth points.
“We are targeting young women and people living with disabilities since we have chosen people in Ngundu and Chivi, we realised that the area has a high population of commercial sex workers, so we decided to make them as ambassadors in mobilising the local community to register as voters under BVR,’’ she said.
“We resolved to engage commercial sex workers since they are marginalised in the community and we are trying to empower them by letting them know that they also have the right to make decisions in elections while also showing communities they live in that they are relevant in the society.’’
“We also seek to empower them by conscientising them that they are equal citizens and have equal roles to play in the economic and political decisions of the country,” she said.
Online Reporter