Briefing Paper: Sex Workers’ Access to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

Globally sex workers experience a number of barriers to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, ranging from explicit exclusion from international financing to discrimination within SRH services leading to lower access rates.

This paper discusses the obstacles sex workers face when accessing SRH services, and examines the quality of services available to them. It also provides practical examples and recommendations for improving the accessibility and acceptability of SRH services for sex workers.

A Community Guide is also available. 

Contents include:

• International SRH Rights Frameworks
• International Guidelines for Sex Worker SRH Services
• Membership Consultation
• The State of SRH Services
  • Limited Service Provision
  • Scattered Services; Segregated Care
  • Contraception, Abortion and Sterilisation
  • The Needs of Male Sex Workers
  • The Needs of Transgender Sex Workers
• Barriers to Accessing SRH Services
  • SRH Literacy
  • Criminalisation
  • Documentation and Health Insurance
  • Mandatory Testing and Treatment
  • Consent and Notification Laws
  • Logistical Barriers
  • Stigma and Discrimination
• Community-Led Interventions
• The Impact of Funding
• Recommendations

You can download this 17-page resource above. This resource is available in Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.