In Zimbabwe, sex workers responded to police harassment with a card and three words: “Call my lawyer.” That card did not appear out of nowhere. It was the result of sustained investment — in sex worker-led organizations and organizations that work with sex workers, in legal literacy, in community organizing, in developing community-led strategies for protection, and in supporting collaboration between sex workers, lawyers and other civil society organizations. When sex workers were able to assert their rights, harassment was less likely to go unchallenged. And when some of those same women became paralegals themselves — now on the other end of the phone, protecting colleagues from arbitrary arrest and police abuse — the gains multiplied.  As demonstrated in Zimbabwe, these human rights protections for sex workers lead to better health outcomes for the sex workers themselves and for their communities.

This is one of many hard-won victories spearheaded by sex worker-led organizations captured in Uncelebrated Victories: Highlighting Sex Worker-Led Decriminalization Efforts in Africa — a collaboration between the African Sex Workers Alliance and UNDP through the #WeBelongAfrica programme, which documents what becomes possible when sex worker-led movements are resourced, trusted and recognized as partners. The report is aimed at sex worker-led organizations and those working with sex workers to raise awareness of these victories while also providing practical examples that others can use to pursue similar progress.  

Across Africa, sex worker-led organizations are not only pushing for decriminalization, they are reshaping legal systems, influencing national policies, securing justice for murder victims, training law enforcement and healthcare providers, and building continent-wide movements for change, all of which contribute to the eventual decriminalization of sex work. Through the #WeBelongAfrica programme, UNDP also works with partners to support the rights and leadership of young sex workers, helping ensure that the next generation of activists is equipped to advocate for justice, health and dignity.

The evidence is clear: investment in sex worker-led organizing strengthens community protection and in turn improves health outcomes. Community paralegals strengthen accountability within justice systems. Supporting movement-building ensures more inclusive policymaking. And as countries move toward the decriminalization of sex work, societies tend to gain better public health outcomes, reduced violence and strengthened human rights protections.

Criminalization of adult consensual sex work has consistently been shown to increase vulnerability to violence, police abuse and systemic barriers to health and justice, while reinforcing stigma and discrimination. Yet, despite these structural challenges, sex worker-led organizations across Africa have demonstrated what is possible when communities are given the tools, space and resources to lead. Through legislative advocacy, strategic litigation, training of key stakeholders, grassroots organizing and the development of paralegal networks, among others, they are delivering tangible gains.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, “Give to Gain” along with the United Nations’ International Women’s Day theme—"Rights. Equality. Empowerment. For all women and girls.” reminds us that strengthening rights and ensuring equality and empowerment for all women and girls, including sex workers, is a smart and necessary investment. The victories documented in Uncelebrated Victories show that sex worker-led movements across Africa are already delivering results. The question is no longer whether change is possible, but whether governments and donors are ready to invest in what we know works.