Cash Assistance for Female Sex Workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted sex workers in Indonesia: their incomes decreased dramatically, they encountered greater difficulty accessing healthcare, and many of them could not access the government cash assistance that was set up to help Indonesians during the pandemic. This CVA pilot provided cash assistance for transportation directly to female sex workers (FSWs) living with HIV so that they could access antiretroviral (ARV) therapy at health service centres. It was implemented by the Indonesian Organization for Social Change (OPSI), a national network of sex workers that is trusted and well-known by sex workers at district levels. A total of 155 FSWs with 459 ARV visits in 88 districts received cash assistance between July and December 2020, which allowed them to access their ARV treatments by providing money specifically to pay for transportation to the health centres where they received treatment. OPSI provided the same individuals with food assistance during the same period.