OSI's Sexual Health and Rights Project and Law and Health Initiative hosted a meeting, "Fostering Enabling Legal and Policy Environments for Sex Workers’ Health and Human Rights," to bring together 35 geographically diverse stakeholders from five key groups (sex workers, service providers, researchers, legal and policy experts, and human rights activists). The aims of the gathering were

• to reach a common understanding of the elements that make up the regulations around prostitution and sex work globally, and to map the various regimes of official control;
• to formulate the core principles of public health, human rights, and harm reduction approaches to sex work, and better understand how these approaches work;
• to explore issues arising within and between constituencies with an eye to reducing barriers and expanding areas of common principles and shared goals.

In connection with this gathering, OSI prepared a number of resources including case studies of different jurisdictions with specific legal and regulatory frameworks; a mapping and resource guide of donor support for sex worker policy and direct service initiatives; and a CD of materials and research related to sex workers’ health and rights. OSI will prepare a final report containing key recommendations on principles and processes for evaluating various regimes regulating prostitution and sex work, for use by sex workers, their allies, policy advocates, donors, and other partners.

While sex workers and their allies have made gains in the advocacy arena, the conference is designed to enable participants to better advocate for legal reforms that advance sex workers health and rights, through a concrete set of tools and models for local advocacy, a clearer analytical framework to understand the issues, and a stronger network of international contacts and allies.

An event description and concept paper are available for download below.