Theme: Social Science & Policy Research Year: 2024
Background: The combination of drug use with sex work creates additional vulnerabilities for Kenyan female sex workers who inject drugs. These vulnerabilities include stigma, criminalization, and restricted access to healthcare treatments. The purpose of this abstract is to provide light on the legal, health, and socioeconomic difficulties that FSWID in Kenya faces.
Approach: This operational research investigates the lived experiences and structural elements influencing the lives of FSWID in Kenya using a review of the literature that has already been published and qualitative interviews with important stakeholders. Access to healthcare, stigma, prosecution, and the socioeconomic factors influencing drug injection and sex work are some of the major subjects that have been examined.
Analysis: FSWID in Kenya confront a variety of difficulties, such as increased HIV/AIDS risks, hepatitis C, prejudice, violence, and difficulty accessing SRH services. Their vulnerability is increased by structural obstacles like prosecution and social stigma, which make it more difficult for them to get access to legal protection, harm reduction programs, and critical healthcare treatments.
Conclusion: a comprehensive strategy incorporating harm reduction tactics, HIV and SRH services, legislative changes, and community empowerment programs is needed to meet the requirements of FSWID in Kenya. In order to lessen the negative consequences of criminalization and stigma and to promote inclusive and equal access to social services and healthcare, policy initiatives should place a priority on the rights, health, and dignity of FSWID.