Europeans seek sex at African prices in Kenya: ‘They push me onto the bed without even saying hello’ – EL PAÍS English

Analysis of Socio-Economic Conditions and Sex Work in Kenya in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

This report analyzes the socio-economic conditions in Kenyan tourism hubs, such as Watamu, and urban centers like Nairobi, focusing on the intersection of poverty, the tourism industry, and sex work. The findings are framed within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting significant challenges to their achievement.

1. Pervasive Poverty and Lack of Decent Work (SDG 1, SDG 8)

The primary driver for individuals entering the sex trade is extreme poverty, a direct challenge to SDG 1 (No Poverty). With one in three Kenyans living below the World Bank’s extreme poverty line of $2.15 a day, alternative economic opportunities are scarce.

• Grace, a 34-year-old mother of two, entered sex work after being abandoned by her husband and failing to find other employment.
• Mary, 41, began sex work as a minor at 17 to support her two children, citing a lack of options to escape poverty.

The local tourism economy, dominated by foreign investment, fails to provide conditions aligned with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Labor exploitation is common, characterized by low wages and poor working conditions.

1. Robert, a hotel worker, earns less than $140 per month for working 12-hour days, seven days a week.
2. His duties are expansive and ill-defined, including gardening, porter services, and facilitating connections between tourists and local sex workers.

This economic model perpetuates a cycle of poverty and dependence, undermining sustainable local development and creating an environment where exploitative sex work is seen as a viable, if undesirable, option.

2. Gender Inequality and Violence (SDG 5)

The experiences of female sex workers reveal profound failures in achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Women are disproportionately affected by violence, exploitation, and systemic discrimination.

• Physical and Sexual Violence: Grace reported being physically assaulted by a client who attempted to force her into non-consensual acts. Mary was hospitalized after a client struck her with a bottle for refusing anal sex.
• Economic Exploitation: Clients frequently underpay or refuse to pay the agreed-upon price, leveraging their economic power over the women.
• Child Exploitation: Reports indicate a preference among foreign clients for younger, more controllable girls, including minors, which constitutes a severe violation of human rights and directly contravenes SDG targets for protecting children from abuse and exploitation.

3. Health, Well-being, and Justice (SDG 3, SDG 16)

The conditions faced by sex workers present significant risks to their physical and mental health, undermining SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

• HIV and STIs: Piero, a 29-year-old male sex worker, was unknowingly infected with HIV by a client. The UNAIDS reports 1.4 million HIV-positive individuals in Kenya, with sex workers being a particularly vulnerable population.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse: To cope with the psychological trauma of their work, individuals report using substances like khat and alcohol. Grace explicitly states she uses khat “to not be sad.”

There is a systemic failure of institutions to provide security and access to justice, which is a core component of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

1. Police Inaction and Corruption: Law enforcement officials are reported to be passive, dismissive of complaints from sex workers, and often corrupt, demanding bribes or sexual favors in exchange for not making arrests.
2. Institutional Complicity: Hotels and other businesses in the tourism sector are complicit, often turning a blind eye to exploitation and trafficking. They may register female sex workers but not their male clients, placing the burden of risk and legal jeopardy solely on the women.
3. Culture of Silence: A pervasive “omertà” or law of silence prevents open discussion and reporting of exploitation, allowing it to continue with impunity.

4. Reduced Inequalities and Community Support (SDG 10)

The narrative is defined by the vast chasm between wealthy foreign tourists and the local Kenyan population, a direct contradiction of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). This inequality manifests in economic, social, and racial power dynamics.

• Foreign business owners control the local economy, with profits largely benefiting them rather than the community.
• The term mzungu (white person) is associated with economic power and, often, exploitation.
• Discrimination also extends to the LGBTQ+ community, with male-on-male sex work being highly stigmatized yet financially lucrative due to the risks involved in a homophobic society.

In the absence of institutional support, community-based networks have emerged. Organizations like the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Program (BHESP) provide critical services, including:

• Medical assistance and access to PrEP.
• Legal services and support.
• Safety networks and education.

These initiatives represent a grassroots effort to achieve the SDGs but cannot replace the need for systemic change and institutional accountability.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights several interconnected issues such as poverty, gender-based violence, labor exploitation, health crises, and systemic inequalities, which are directly relevant to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The following SDGs are addressed:

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article establishes extreme poverty as the primary driver forcing individuals like Grace and Mary into sex work. It explicitly states, “She had no choice but to turn to sex work… after her husband abandoned her and their two children, leaving them without even a roof to sleep under.” It also provides a statistic from the World Bank that “one in every three people [in Kenya] survive on just $2.15 a day.”
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Health issues are a central theme. This includes the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, as detailed in Piero’s story of being infected by a client. The article also touches on mental health and substance abuse, noting that Grace uses khat “to not be sad” and Piero drinks heavily to cope with their reality.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article extensively covers the vulnerabilities and exploitation faced by women. It details violence against female sex workers, economic disempowerment, and the specific targeting of young girls and children by foreign tourists. Grace’s story of being physically assaulted and Mary’s account of being attacked and the murder of her friends underscore the severe gender-based violence.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The concept of decent work is contrasted with the exploitative labor conditions described. Robert’s job, working “12 hours a day, seven days a week… for less than $140,” is a clear example of precarious and exploitative employment. The article also directly mentions “sex trafficking of minors,” which is one of the worst forms of labor exploitation.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: A major theme is the stark inequality between wealthy European tourists and the local Kenyan population. The article notes how Europeans own businesses and “earn the profits,” while Kenyans provide cheap labor. This power imbalance based on economic status and nationality is a core driver of the exploitation described.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article points to a failure of justice and institutions. Sex workers face violence with no recourse. Mary’s attempt to report a violent assault was dismissed by the police. The police are described as corrupt, discriminatory, and sometimes perpetrators of abuse themselves, asking for “sexual favors.” The “omertà” or law of silence further indicates a breakdown of the rule of law.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 1 (No Poverty):
   • Target 1.1: Eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day. The article directly references this by stating that in Kenya, “one in every three people survive on just $2.15 a day, the extreme poverty line as measured by the World Bank.”
   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. Grace’s situation, beginning with homelessness and lack of income after being abandoned, exemplifies multidimensional poverty.
2. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS… and other communicable diseases. The article highlights this target through Piero’s story of contracting HIV from a client and the mention of UNAIDS data on HIV prevalence in Kenya.
   • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. The use of khat by Grace and alcohol by Piero as coping mechanisms points to the challenges related to this target.
3. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. The article is replete with examples, including Grace being physically forced into a sex act, Mary being assaulted with a bottle, and the murder of Mary’s two friends. The mention of “sex trafficking of minors” is also a direct link.
4. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour. The article’s reference to “sex trafficking of minors” and clients who “like them young, even children” directly addresses this target.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers… and those in precarious employment. The violence, exploitation, and lack of safety described for sex workers and laborers like Robert demonstrate a complete failure to meet this target.
5. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… race, ethnicity… or economic or other status. The narrative illustrates the deep social and economic exclusion of poor Kenyans in a tourism-driven economy dominated by Europeans.
6. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The murders of Mary’s friends and the violent attacks she and Grace endured are direct examples of the violence this target aims to reduce.
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. This is relevant due to the article’s claims that clients prefer “young girls, even children” and the mention of “sex trafficking of minors.”
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law… and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article shows a lack of access to justice when Mary reports her assault and is told “it wouldn’t go anywhere,” and when police are described as corrupt and discriminatory.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides both quantitative data and qualitative descriptions that serve as indicators for measuring progress.

• Proportion of population below the international poverty line (Indicator 1.1.1): The article explicitly states, “In Kenya, one in every three people survive on just $2.15 a day, the extreme poverty line as measured by the World Bank.”
• HIV incidence per 1,000 uninfected population (related to Indicator 3.3.1): The article provides specific data from UNAIDS: “In 2023, there were 1.4 million HIV-positive people in Kenya, a rate of 3.2 for every 1,000 individuals in the adult population.” It also gives the estimated number of sex workers as 197,100, a key population for this indicator.
• Proportion of women subjected to physical or sexual violence (related to Indicator 5.2.1): While not providing national statistics, the personal testimonies of Grace and Mary serve as powerful qualitative indicators of violence against women in the context of sex work.
• Average hourly earnings (related to Indicator 8.5.1): The article provides the data points to calculate this for Robert: he earns less than $140 for working “12 hours a day, seven days a week,” which calculates to an extremely low hourly wage, indicating a lack of decent work.
• Number of victims of intentional homicide (related to Indicator 16.1.1): The story of Mary’s two friends who were “brutally murdered by men” serves as an anecdotal indicator of the high death rates among this vulnerable population.
• Proportion of victims of violence who reported their victimization to authorities (Indicator 16.3.1): Mary’s experience of going to the police to file a complaint and being dismissed is a direct, qualitative measure of the failure of this indicator. The police corruption mentioned (demanding sexual favors) is another indicator of institutional failure.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: english.elpais.com