Economic and Social Human Rights of Sex Workers in International Human Rights Law and Restrictive Legislation on Sex Work

Abstract

The present research will examine how sex work is regulated in international human rights treaties. Approaching the question whether any international norms specifically restrict sex work as a form of labour, the research thus explores the scope and content of sex workers’ socio-economic rights in international human rights framework, identifying the existing instruments of protection of the rights of sex workers under international law. Further, this research sought to determine if consensual sex work sex work falls into the scope of the right to work in international human rights law, and which conditions should exist to bring sex work into compliance with international human rights law. With regards to restrictive models of regulation of sex work on the national legislation of Russia and Sweden, it is argued that restrictive models of regulation of sex work conflicts with obligations of the States under relevant international treaties in the field of economic and social rights. Sex workers should be protected and benefit from international instruments just as any other category of workers. From the analysis of domestic law in Russia and Sweden, it can be seen, that the criminalisation model and the partial criminalisation model fail to protect sex workers’ rights.