Elena Reynaga

Elena Eva Reynaga (born 1953 in Jujuy) is an Argentinian former sex worker and women human rights defender who campaigns for the rights of sex workers.[1] Reynaga, is a founding member of Association of Women Sex Workers in Argentina (Asociación de Mujeres Meretrices de la Argentina, AMMAR). In 1999, she was elected as Executive Secretary of the Network of Women Sex workers of Latina America and the Caribbean (Red de Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamérica y Caribe, RedTraSex).[2] [3]

Elena Reynaga
Born
Elena Eva Reynaga

(1953-07-28) July 28, 1953
Jujuy, Argentina
Known forwomen human rights defender

Activism

Reynaga became a sex worker at 19. After being a victim of institutional violence and experiencing imprisonment multiple times in Argentina, she travelled to work in Spain for a time. She returned to Argentina and founded AMMAR in 1994 in response to police harassment and violence.

According to the organization, between 1996 and 2001, 41 member of AMMAR were murdered.[4] AMMAR operates as a trade union and since 1995 it has been an affiliated member of the Argentine Workers' Central Union (Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina). AMMAR has also been part of RedTraSex since 1997; Reynaga has been its Executive Secretary since 1999. The organization works for the defence, promotion, recognition and respect for human rights of sex workers in fifteen countries.[5] Reynaga co-edited Un Movimiento de Tacones Altos (The High Heels Movement) a manual for the defense of sex workers' rights published in 2007.[6]

Reynaga has also campaigned on issues related to health (HIV/AIDS)[7][8] In 2008, she was the first to address the issue of sex worker's rights in a plenary session of the International AIDS Conference,[9][10] where she asked for better working conditions, health care, recognition of sex work as work, and called on the audience to see sex workers not as the problem, but as "part of the solution".[11][12]

Recognition

In 2009, the Buenos Aires legislature recognised Reynaga as "Outstanding Public Figure for the Human Rights of Women" (in Spanish “Personalidad Destacada de los Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres”).[13] In 2014 she was recognised by the Argentinian Senate for her human rights work and leadership against discrimination and stigma, as well as the reclamation of female sex workers as workers.[14][15] In 2016 she was elected onto a UN advisory board.[16]

References
  1. ""El movimiento de mujeres necesita de todas las mujeres". Entrevista con Elena Reynaga". Cotidiano Mujer (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  2. ""If I were born again, I would still be a sex worker"". openDemocracy. 2016-10-25. Archived from the original on 2017-12-26. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  3. Red de Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamérica y el Caribe. 10 años de acción: 1997/2007 : la experiencia de organización de la Red de Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: RedTraSex, 2008.
  4. "ammar.org.ar". www.ammar.org.ar. Archived from the original on 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  5. "RedTraSex". www.redtrasex.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  6. "El Movimiento de Tacones Altos" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-06-08.
  7. Boseley, Sarah (2010-03-25). "Would legalising sex work help fight Aids?". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2013-09-09. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  8. Saini, Anna; Reynaga, Elena Eva; Parmanand, Sharmila; Grant, Melissa Gira; El Feki, Shereen (2016). "The Big QuestionTaking ControlAn Actual JobMeaningful Inclusion in the Philippines"It's Scary for you . . . It has to be"The Law is an ass". World Policy Journal. 33 (4): 5–9. doi:10.1215/07402775-3812858. ISSN 0740-2775. Archived from the original on 2018-06-02.
  9. Bliss, K (September 2008). "XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City: Implications for Latin America and the Caribbean". Hemisphere Focus, Center for Strategic and International Studies. XVI (3).
  10. Global coalition on women and AIDS. "All women, all rights. 2008 Delegates guide to Women and AIDS" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-07-29.
  11. "Finally, sex comes to AIDS 2008 | Panos London". panoslondon.panosnetwork.org. Archived from the original on 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  12. "- Elena Reynaga and Anna-Louise Crago, Mexico Conference Presentation, August 2008". www.scarletalliance.org.au. 14 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  13. "Página/12 :: Sociedad :: Una distinción para Elena Reynaga". www.pagina12.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2010-01-24. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  14. "Elena Reynaga fue galardonada por el Senado de la Nación Argentina". Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina. Archived from the original on 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  15. "Elena Reynaga fue galardonada por el Senado de la Nación Argentina". Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina. Archived from the original on 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  16. ""If I were born again, I would still be a sex worker"". openDemocracy. 2016-10-25. Archived from the original on 2017-12-26. Retrieved 2018-06-05.


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