Today, 3rd March, is International Sex Workers Rights Day.

The day originated in India in 2001, when Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee organised over 25,000 sex workers to gather for a sex worker festival. The organisers wanted to celebrate the lives of sex workers as well as highlight sex workers’ determination and strength. Sex worker groups across the world have subsequently celebrated 3rd March as International Sex Workers’ Rights Day.

Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee is a Calcutta based group whose membership consists of somewhere upwards of 50,000 sex workers and members of their communities. In 2002, they explained:

We felt strongly that that we should have a day what need to be observed by the sex workers community globally. Keeping in view the large mobilization of all types of global sexworkers [Female, Male, Transgender], we proposed to observe 3rd March as THE SEX WORKERS RIGHTS DAY.

Check out SWOP-USA for information on events taking place today, and some more history about the day.