SEX WORK AND THE LAW - HIV/AIDS Data Hub

Representatives of entertainment workers sit on the committees overseeing the
programme.
Most at Risk Population Community Partnership Initiative
Cambodia
The Most at Risk Population Community Partnership Initiative (MCPI) is intended to
strengthen community-level action on HIV and related issues. The MCPI was formally
recognized by the Administrative Order on the Management of Entertainment Workers
issued in 2010. 391
The management framework for the MCPI engages representatives of local authorities,
police, health care workers, civil society organizations and representatives of mostat-risk
populations. The aim is to ensure an enabling environment for coordinated
implementation of HIV prevention and treatment services and non-health-related services
for entertainment workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people and drug
users.
MCPI supports a rights-based approach. MCPI recognizes that the State, through its agents,
is the principal duty-bearer responsible for fulfilling the right to health and social services
to all Cambodians including entertainment workers. HIV mechanisms at commune,
district, provincial and central level have the responsibility for creating the normative
and institutional contexts for the enjoyment of the right to health and social services.
MCPI supports dialogue between communities (rights-holders) and state agencies (dutybearers)
to achieve improved delivery of health, social and legal services. In the event of
incidents the local MCPI team’s prime role will be to find way to resolve issues without
impacting on HIV and other service delivery with communities.
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Banteay Mean Chey, Battambang, Sihanoukville, Kampong
Cham and Kandal have been selected as the target communities for implementation
of MCPI. Sensitization has been conducted in 2011 in Siem Reap, Banteay Mean Chey,
Sihanoukville, and Battambang with the participation of entertainment workers and
other at-risk populations, police, the local authority, provincial health department,
entertainment establishment owners and relevant NGOs. In 2012, MCPI will be expanded
to the remaining hotspot provinces. Legal services as well as health and social services are
included in the MCPI design.
Legal services for sex workers
UNAIDS and ILO supported the establishment of the Community Legal Service for
entertainment workers in 2011. The National AIDS Authority, NCHADS and the Ministry
of the Interior also support the legal service. The aim of the legal service is to raise
awareness on legal rights among sex workers, create a team of paralegal workers who
provide appropriate legal support (and referral) for sex workers (initially in Phnom Penh)
in partnership with Monash University (Australia) and APNSW. Outreach workers provide
sex workers with legal assistance, emergency care, shelter, sexual assault counseling,
assistance with children, and medical support.
Community mobilization on human rights
A sex workers’ organization, the Women’s Network for Unity (WNU), was registered with
the Ministry of Interior in 2004. The network engages the police and local authorities to
391 Administrative Order #482, Management of Entertainment Workers through the Most At Risk Population
Community Partnership Initiative (MCPI), 21 October 2010.
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