The first country in the world where sex workers will get maternity leave and pension. Changed the lives of thousands
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Belgium is the first country in the world to not only recognise sex workers in the year 2022 but also take a historic step regarding their rights. In Belgium, a law was made to give things like maternity leave, health insurance, pensions, and work contracts to sex workers. This step has changed the lives of many women.
No matter how much we and you deny this, there are sex workers in every country of the world. The life of these women is more difficult than the life of ordinary women. On the one hand, it is difficult for them to earn money and live life. On the other hand, getting respect in the country and becoming a part of the policy, becoming a part of government schemes becomes a different problem for them.
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In many countries of the world, these sex workers are not given any kind of rights, but Belgium is a country that, in the year 2022, not only removed sex work from the category of crime and made it legal. After this, the country took another historic step and also gave maternity leave and pensions to sex workers.
How was the situation in the country before the law?
Sophie, a sex worker from Belgium, said that before this law, I was forced to do sex work to earn money even after being 9 months pregnant. Sophie is the mother of five children. Sophie said that when she was about to have her fifth child, the doctor asked her to take bed rest, but it was not possible for her to do so, because if she did not work, then how would she earn?
Sophie said I could not stop working because I needed money. She further said that after being a sex worker, when she is now getting maternity leave and pension, it has made her life very easy.
What kind of rights are being given?
Due to Belgium’s historic step and new law, sex workers have now been given many rights. Under this, they will be entitled to a work contract, health insurance, a pension, maternity leave, and sick leave. Also, it will be treated just like any other job and will get all the same rights. Sophie said this is an opportunity for us to live like the rest of the people.
There are crores of sex workers around the world. Sex workers have been given legal recognition in many countries, including Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Turkey, but only Belgium has done the historic work of giving them leave and pension.
How did the law change?
Belgium decided to legalize sex workers after a big movement in the year 2022. There were protests in the country for months regarding this. During the time of Kovid, there was a lack of help for sex workers in the country; a voice was raised about this, as a result of which a historic decision was taken to legalize sex work.
One of those at the forefront of this movement was Victoria, who was the president of the Belgian Union of Sex Workers (UTSOPI) and was previously an escort for 12 years. For her, this was a personal battle. Victoria considers sex work a social service. She said if there is no law and your job is illegal, then there are no protocols to help you. This law has emerged as a means for people to make us safe.
The law is being criticized in the country
Human Rights Watch researcher Erin Kilbride said this is the best step seen anywhere in the world so far; every country needs to move forward in this direction. Critics said that the sex work trade leads to trafficking, exploitation, and abuse, which this law will not be able to stop. Julia Crumiere, a volunteer with the NGO Isala, said this law is dangerous because it normalizes a profession that has always been violent.
While on one hand this law is being supported in the country, on the other hand, it is also being opposed. Julia Crumiere said that thousands of women do not want labour rights, but they want to get out of their job and live a normal life. Also, Julia believes that no way in the world makes sex work safe.
