The first country in the world to implement a law called the Sex Trafficking Women's Maternity Leave and Pension Guarantee
Dec 02, 2024
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They are also given the right to reject the customer and say 'no' for certain actions, and cannot be fired for these reasons of refusal.
According to foreign media such as the Daily Mail, the Belgian Parliament passed a bill in May to promote the human rights of prostitutes, and the law took effect in December.
Belgium has legalized prostitution since 2022. Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Turkiye are also legalized.
In the midst of this, Belgium is the first country in the world to have a law that means prostitution women can sign formal employment contracts and gain equal labor rights like those in other professions.
The Belgian Federation of Gender Workers said the law would help crack down on abuse and exploitation, calling it a `huge step forward in ending legal discrimination against gender workers.'
But feminist groups criticized the bill, calling it a `catastrophic' for young girls and victims of human trafficking.
The newly enacted law states that employers who employ prostitution women should provide clean bedding, condoms and sanitary products, and that emergency buttons should be installed in workplaces for women's safety.
It also stipulates that pimp must obtain a license to operate a prostitution business and meet background requirements such as no criminal record of sexual assault or human trafficking.
In addition, prostitutes or pimpers can ask government-funded mediators to settle employment disputes.
Human Rights Watch researcher Erin Kilbride described the law in an interview with the BBC as 'progressive"It's the best move yet to be seen anywhere in the world. Every country should move in this direction," he stressed.
But Julia Crumiere, a volunteer with the charity `Isala', which helps Belgian sex workers, said the majority of women involved in prostitution want help to leave their jobs and get 'normal' jobs, not employment rights.
He pointed out "It's dangerous because it always normalizes violent jobs."
An official from the advocacy group 'escape P', which participated in drafting the bill, called "Amazing Progress" which means that the jobs of fashionable women can finally be recognized as legitimate by the Belgian government. From an employer's point of view, this would be a revolution. They must obtain state permission to hire sex workers."
bellho@sportschosun.com
