Last Girl First

All over the world and throughout history, the most discriminated and marginalized communities are over-represented in prostitution and sexual exploitation. Prostitution is a gendered and patriarchal system that disproportionately affects the poorest women and children.

Whether they are Dalit women and girls in India, indigenous communities in Canada, African-American women in the United States, rural areas in Mongolia, refugees or migrants, victims of sexual violence or belonging to an ethnic minority: they are all the first victims of economic sexual exploitation by pimps, traffickers and sex buyers.

The concept of “Last Girl First” was initially developed by our member association Apne Aap, in India, in reference to Gandhi’s philosophy which recommended to always think of “the last person” when making a public decision. The “Last Girls” are all those forgotten women and girls, exploited by the prostitution system and victims of all the disparities it perpetuates. They are the ones who are at the intersection of all systems of domination and forms of discrimination such as racism, sexism, class, capitalism and imperialism. These inequalities reinforce their marginalization and restrict their access to the most basic rights including the right to dignity, food, water, housing, health, education.

By working closely with those concerned and with our members on the ground, the “The Last Girl First” campaign aims to identify, bring together and mobilise these women and girls from the most vulnerable groups over-represented in prostitution through research reports and public events in order to raise their voices in the fight against the prostitution system.