This year's Jasmine Prize was announced on December 17, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, and was shared between Lilian Andersson and Jens Rydström. In 1977, Lilian Andersson was one of the co-founders of 'Sexual Political Front', Scandinavia's first sex worker organisation, and over the years she has collected a large archive about Swedish sex workers' activism. Jens Rydström, professor in Gender Studies, is working with a research project on the history of Scandinavian sex workers' organisations, which will result in a book in 2018.

The prize is awarded by present-day sex workers' organisation Rose Alliance, with the motivation that Lilian Andersson and Jens Rydström "together ensure that we not only have a future, but also a proud history. Lilian's unique archive, which is a result of the same passionate persistence that has inspired acticists for decades, gets new life thanks to Jens' careful and respectful engagement."

The Jasmine award was established in memory of activist and sex worker Eva Marree Kullander Smith, also known as 'Petite Jasmine' who was murdered in 2013. It is awarded to persons or organisations who actively contribute to improve the rights of sex workers and who work against stigma, discrimination and violence. It has previously been granted to Member of the European Parliament Fredrick Federley (2014), and to author and researcher Petra Östergren together with the organisation HIV-Sweden (2015).

"I feel overwhelmed and grateful for this award," says Jens Rydström. "But in reality I could not have written about Swedish sex workers' activism the way I have without Lilian's rich archive. She is really the one who most deserves the prize."