IPPF European Network warmly welcomes the coming into force on 1 December of a new law that introduces legal protections and labour rights for sex workers in Belgium. This is a major step forward in Belgian sex workers’ long-running campaign for greater safety and freedom, following their victory in securing decriminalisation of sex work in 2022. It is also the first case in Europe of a country introducing a legal framework aimed at safeguarding sex working people and guaranteeing their employment rights.

“Decriminalization of all aspects of sex work, together with social policies that address structural inequalities, is the only way that countries can protect the health, safety and lives of sex workers. With this new law, Belgium continues to lead the way,” said Micah Grzywnowicz, Regional Director of IPPF EN.

The new law, adopted by the Belgian Parliament in May 2024, applies to people who carry out sex work as employees. It aims to reduce discrimination by ensuring that - like those who work in any other sector - sex workers have access to social security, including health insurance, annual leave, sick and maternity leave, unemployment benefits and pension rights.

It also enshrines freedoms and protections that safeguard sex workers’ health and safety. These include people’s right to refuse a client, to refuse a sexual act, to set the conditions of a sexual act and to end a sexual act at any moment, safe from fear of being fired. The law mandates criminal record checks for employers and obliges them to put in place safety measures for the people they employ.

“We congratulate the Belgian government for the steps it has taken together with sex worker organisations, in a process that has been guided by our expertise,” said Sabrina Sanchez, Coordinator of ESWA, the European Sex Workers‘ Rights Alliance .

“Decriminalisation is not perfect and this law is just the beginning of broader labour rights for sex workers in Belgium; it may need to be strengthened in future. We will continue to share our knowledge and experience to ensure that we have a good model in Belgium that can also be an example to other countries on how to progress towards the decriminalisation of sex work and the achievement of labour rights for sex workers,” added Sanchez.

“IPPF EN applauds sex workers in Belgium for their leadership in the fight for social justice, first through decriminalisation in 2022, and now with the introduction of the specific legal framework needed to begin delivering concrete change in people’s lives,” said Micah Grzywnowicz.

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More information on the new law here via UTSOPI, the Belgian Union of Sex Workers

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IPPF EN is a proud supporter of ESWA. We are opposed to any measures in EU policy or legislative instruments that would criminalise any aspect of sex work, including clients and third parties, in line with IPPF’s global policy position and allyship with sex worker communities.