ПРОЦЕНКА НА ПОТРЕБИТЕ НА МЛАДИТЕ СЕКСУАЛНИ РАБОТНИЦИ ВО ОДНОС НА ЗДРА Проценка на потребите на младите сексуални работни | Page 23

1.3 Right to Social Welfare
The fulfillment of social welfare aid right is an immensely important factor for every
individual to live and work in normal conditions. The bad socio-economic conditions
such as the low education levels, not being entitled to unemployment benefit or lack of
housing play a key role in the shaping of sex workers’ health and wellbeing. Sex workers,
especially those who work in an outdoor scene, are faced with numerous challenges
while working, mainly due to the fact that they work in unsafe conditions. Most
frequently, sex workers have access to social welfare services via civil organizations,
instead of utilizing the social welfare services offered by the state institutions, which is
due to the fear, discrimination and the social exclusion of this marginalized community.
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 Research Sample
For the purposes of this study, a research has been conducted amongst a small group
of young sex workers aged between 18 and 29 (the term “young sex workers” pertains
to sex workers aged 18 years and over, according to the instructions determined by the
UN Convention on Child’s Rights) in terms of access improvement, when it comes to
healthcare, social and legal services. The data collection was carried out by a discussion
analysis with the focus group comprised by 12 sex workers, out of which 5 were
women, 2 men and 5 transgender individuals. Throughout the working discussion,
4 separate segments have been elaborated on: required services, availability and
access to services, obstacles in the access to services and measures for services and
their availability improvement. Each and every participant was given the opportunity
to openly discuss all previously prepared questions considering all aspects, in order
to obtain a clearer picture about which services are needed and accessible for sex
workers, how to improve those services and what things they are deprived of are.
Various profiles of sex workers took part in the working discussion which lasted a
full hour, all of whom are currently engaged in sex work on the indoor or outdoor
scene in Skopje. All of these sex workers have been previously mapped by outreach
workers employed by the Association for Support of Marginalized Workers STAR-STAR.
In order to obtain precise guidelines regarding these sex workers’ viewpoints pertaining
to their needs in terms of healthcare, social and legal aid, a stratified discussion was
carried out according to several characteristics, including sex and gender, age, ethnic
background and location of residence.
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