Belgium has passed a landmark law granting sex workers the same rights to maternity pay, pensions, and employment protections as other workers.
On Sunday, the country’s lawmakers signed into law that ensures sex workers are treated as employees, entitling them to benefits such as maternity leave, pension contributions, and legal safeguards against exploitation.
The decision is a result of months of protests in 2022, prompted by the lack of state support for sex workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The historic change aims to offer sex workers greater legal recognition and workplace protections, marking a first for any country worldwide.
The law also extends significant protections to sex workers, guaranteeing the right to refuse sexual partners, specific acts, or to stop an act at any time.
In addition, employers of sex workers must meet rigorous standards, including having a business address in Belgium, maintaining a good character, and ensuring premises are equipped with panic buttons, clean linen, showers, and condoms.
The Belgian Union of Sex Workers said the law is “a huge step forward, ending legal discrimination against sex workers”.
Sophie, a sex worker in Belgium, told the BBC that the new law is an “opportunity for us to exist as people”.
Erin Kilbride, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the law should be emulated by every country in the world.
“This is radical, and it’s the best step we have seen anywhere in the world so far. We need every country to be moving in that direction.”
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