Sex workers in Zimbabwe are crying for help because their business is gradually being shut down.
The Zimbabwean government has imposed a 30 day national lockdown and curfew since the beginning of the month. This measure is said have “brought untold suffering to these women”.
Sex workers in Zimbabwe belong to a fraternity called Katswe Sistahood. The Program’s Officer of the fraternity, Nancy Chabuda, stated that “…the closure of bars has made sex workers’ lives hard as they are not getting clients and therefore, are struggling to make ends meet”.
According to her these women make money during the night and imposing a curfew is not a good idea if their business must flourish.
Additionally, Ms Chabuda said because these women don’t want their children or family to know the kind of business they’re running, most of them travel far from home in order to make ends meet. “This is also to protect themselves from society which looks at them as outcasts”, she said.
She further lamented that “because of the lockdown they can’t go to their usual frontline places to get clients as they’re not considered as essential service workers”. Unfortunately, the lockdown has been extended which will be more grievous for them.
Meanwhile, Ghanaians are also waiting to hear an address from the President to either affirm or negate the possibility of a lockdown.
