CCI Rolls out a Major Sex Worker Programme as South Africa Marks 30 Years of the Bill of Rights
As the country commemorates Human Rights Month under the theme ‘Bill of Rights at 30: Making Human Dignity Real’, the Centre for Community Impact (CCI) is rolling out a large-scale comprehensive HIV, TB, STI and GBV prevention, treatment, care and support programme for Sex Workers. This ground-breaking intervention covers eight provinces, reaching 18 districts nationwide.
In SA, this milestone year invites reflection not only on the progress made since the adoption of the Constitution, but also on the work that remains to ensure that dignity, equality and access to healthcare are not abstract ideals, but lived realities for all. Sex Workers continue to be amongst the most vulnerable to HIV infection, stigma, discrimination and violence — conditions that undermine their constitutional rights to dignity, equality, freedom and access to healthcare.
Entrusted by the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria through the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) to implement comprehensive prevention programming, CCI is stepping forward at a critical moment in the country’s response to HIV, TB and STIs. The programme supports the goals of the National Department of Health and aligns with the National Strategic Plan on HIV, TB and STIs (2023 – 2028).
“Human Rights Month reminds us that the Constitution is not symbolic, it is practical,” said Sakumzi Ntayiya, CEO of CCI. “The right to dignity, safety and healthcare applies to everyone, including Sex Workers. This programme is about making those rights real in the communities across our country.”
By partnering with local organisations, community leaders and Sex Worker networks, CCI aims to ensure that services are delivered respectfully, confidentially and without discrimination. “This is not just a programme launch, it is a national imperative,” Ntayiya added. “If we are serious about ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030 and eliminate GBV, we must confront stigma and inequality head-on and ensure that dignity is not negotiable.”
This Human Rights Month, CCI reaffirms its commitment: advancing health equity, protecting Human Rights and strengthening community leadership — because making dignity real requires action.
For more information contact:
Olwetu Gwanya | 072 157 0449 or olwetu@ccisa.org.za
