Resources / Fostering Enabling Legal + Policy Environments for Sex Workers' Health, Rights

This gathering brought together sex workers, service providers, human rights advocates, researchers and government representatives from around the globe to discuss how different legal and regulatory environments affect sex workers' health and rights. The meeting was organized in part to address the growing backlash against human rights-based responses to sex worker health and rights concerns, and to strengthen connections between sex worker health and rights advocates who are leading these efforts.

We hope the report and resource materials are a valuable tool to assist sex workers, allied communities, donors and others forge a common understanding of key health and social justice issues; identify common goals and priorities; and mobilize around targeted advocacy campaigns to achieve sex workers' health and rights.


At the web site below, you will find the following resources:

* The Johannesburg Report (synthesis of the debates and areas of substantial agreement that emerged over the course of the meeting)
* Appendix A (panel summaries)
* Appendix B (meeting concept paper)
* Appendix C (case studies from India, Australia, South Africa, Thailand, Canada, Netherlands, Brazil and Senegal examining the intersections of law, policy, rights and health related to sex work)
* Appendix D (discussion paper reviewing how harm reduction and human rights frameworks have been applied to sex workers' health and rights concerns)
* Appendix E (provisional framework mapping some of the laws and policies that affect sex workers' health and rights)
* Appendix F (list of key health and human rights issues identified by meeting participants as requiring further research and documentation)
* Appendix G (meeting agenda)
* Appendix H (participant biographies)
* Appendix I (description of meeting organizers)

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/focus/sharp/articles_publications/publications/enabling_20060622



At the web site below, you will find:



* "Sex Worker Health and Rights: Where is the Funding?" (a report assessing existing funding for sex worker health and rights organizations and recommendations for donors about how to promote a rights-based approach through their support)

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/focus/sharp/articles_publications/publications/where_20060719



Tremendous thanks are due the Open Society Foundation for South Africa and the Open Society Fund-Lithuania for their help in organizing the meeting, along with SHARP's Law and Health Advisor, Alice M. Miller. Finally, we want to express appreciation to the participants who offered their wisdom, experience and passion to the proceedings. Each day, these brave advocates make a difference by protecting the health and rights of sex workers around the world.



We welcome your feedback and ongoing collaboration.



Kind Regards,


Sue Simon, Director Jonathan Cohen, Director

SHARP LAHI

Ssimon [at] sorosny.org Jcohen [at] sorosny.org