:: Conference ::

Proposal submitted by:

International Committee on Sex Workers’ Rights,
European Conference Organising Subcommittee

Applications are now online at www.sexworkeurope.org

SUMMARY:

Main reasons for holding this conference

• The current international debate on trafficking is extremely limited and needs to be expanded to include contributions from sex workers’ rights, labour, migration and human rights organisations.

• Repressive policies on migration, public order and morality lead to the increasing vulnerability of sex workers. Policies in the different European countries should be analysed for their effects on sex workers and migrants.

• Sex workers from Western, Central and Eastern Europe have expressed the need for a platform in their fight for equal rights and to create a strong and active European Sex Workers’ Rights movement.

• Sex workers need allies from labour, migration and human rights organisations and have much to contribute to their causes.
Summary of objectives for the conference

• Transformation of the trafficking debate into a debate on labour, migration, human rights and labour rights.

• A Declaration that formulates the starting points for structural solutions to end exploitation and the violation of human rights of sex workers in society, in work situations and in the process of labour migration;

• A mapping of the effects of repressive migration, prostitution and trafficking policies in Europe on the working and living conditions of sex workers in order to develop appropriate responses and to develop strategies to empower sex workers;

• To put sex workers’ rights back on the European agenda.

• A strong European Network of Sex Workers.

• Closer cooperation of sex workers with intergovernmental, non-governmental and international organisations concerned with migration, labour and human rights. The creation of a pool of allied experts that can support the European Network of Sex Workers and its individual members;

• A political forum for workers in the sex industry and pro-sex workers’ rights organisations in West, Central and East Europe;

• Recommendations for individual national and local contexts as relevant.

The majority of participants, workshop leaders, and guest speakers will be sex workers and ex-sex workers. Key allies will be strategically invited from governmental, non-governmental and academic organisations.

dates: 15-17 October 2005
venue: Brussels
number of participants: 240

Provisional draft programme



	Conference on Sex Work - 15/17 october
	Proposal submitted by: International Committee on Sex Workers’ Rights, European Conference Organising Subcommittee Applications are now online at www.sexworkeurope.org SUMMARY: Main reasons for holding this conference • The current international debate on trafficking is extremely limited and needs to be expanded to include contributions from sex workers’ rights, labour, migration and human rights organisations. • Repressive policies on migration, public order and morality lead to the increasing vulnerability of sex workers. Policies in the different European countries should be analysed for their effects on sex workers and migrants. • Sex workers from Western, Central and Eastern Europe have expressed the need for a platform in their fight for equal rights and to create a strong and active European Sex Workers’ Rights movement. • Sex workers need allies from labour, migration and human rights organisations and have much to contribute to their causes. Summary of objectives for the conference • Transformation of the trafficking debate into a debate on labour, migration, human rights and labour rights. • A Declaration that formulates the starting points for structural solutions to end exploitation and the violation of human rights of sex workers in society, in work situations and in the process of labour migration; • A mapping of the effects of repressive migration, prostitution and trafficking policies in Europe on the working and living conditions of sex workers in order to develop appropriate responses and to develop strategies to empower sex workers; • To put sex workers’ rights back on the European agenda. • A strong European Network of Sex Workers. • Closer cooperation of sex workers with intergovernmental, non-governmental and international organisations concerned with migration, labour and human rights. The creation of a pool of allied experts that can support the European Network of Sex Workers and its individual members; • A political forum for workers in the sex industry and pro-sex workers’ rights organisations in West, Central and East Europe; • Recommendations for individual national and local contexts as relevant. The majority of participants, workshop leaders, and guest speakers will be sex workers and ex-sex workers. Key allies will be strategically invited from governmental, non-governmental and academic organisations. dates: 15-17 October 2005 venue: Brussels number of participants: 240 Provisional draft programme