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24 Aug, 2015

Indonesian Minister launches national anti-prostitution movement

Antara, Jayapura, Indonesia, August 21 2015 – Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa launched on Friday a national prostitution-free movement in Jayapura, Papua, in an attempt to eradicate sex work in the country by 2019.

The launch was marked with the closure of a red-light district in East Sentani, Papua, with its sex workers being sent back to their respective hometowns.

“We hope that those former commercial sex workers can get decent jobs, and a joint business group can help those affected by the closure of the local brothels,” Khofifah said as quoted by Antara news agency.

The minister said that the former commercial sex workers would receive Rp 5 million (US$364) from the ministry and another Rp 5 million from the Jayapura administration. (ika)

Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa (Kompas)