Regional updates: Europe

Sex workers in Belgium are celebrating a historic vote in parliament that will result in an amendment to the country’s Penal Code and the laws on sex work. NSWP member organisation Utsopi wrote about the news on their website, declaring “The decriminalisation of sex work in Belgium was approved by the Federal Parliament on March 18 at 1:35 a.m.” The Federal Parliament voted in favour of this rights-affirming legal reform with 70 for, 41 abstentions and just 4 against. When the new laws are enacted, it will make Belgium the first country in Europe to decriminalise sex work.

To coincide with the start of the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV & AIDS, NSWP has joined STOPAIDS and over 140 cross-party MPs and leaders in the HIV response in writing to the UK Government.

The Supreme Court of Spain has issued a ruling recognising the right of sex workers to form unions. The ruling comes after an appeal from NSWP member organisation Organización de Trabajadoras Sexuales OTRAS. The judges agree with OTRAS when they consider that its members "enjoy the fundamental right to freedom of association and have the right to organise".

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

Red Umbrella Fund are looking for two sex workers or strong allies from somewhere in North America and Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Red Umbrella Fund is the first-ever global grantmaking collaborative guided by and for sex workers. Red Umbrella Fund is guided by an International Steering Committee (ISC) made up of sex workers and donors. The ISC decides the grantmaking criteria, approves the annual budget and makes other strategic decisions.

An open letter from Decrim Now calling on UK MPs to oppose further criminalisation of sex work has received over 150 signatures. NSWP have joined organisations such as Amnesty International, Liberty, Freedom United, Stonewall and Sisters Uncut in adding their support to the sex worker-led call, as have unions including GMB and United Voices of the World, and celebrities including FKA Twigs.

NSWP member organisation TAMPEP has called for sex workers to receive equal treatment with other professions. The statement comes as areas of Europe enter new periods of lockdown and sex workers continue to face extreme hardship as well as stigma and discrimination.

You can read an excerpt of the TAMPEP statement below or visit the TAMPEP website to read the full statement.

The International Committee for the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE), one of NSWP’s Regional Networks, have released a joint statement with 8 other European organisations calling for the decriminalisation of sex work in Malta.

NSWP member oranisation PION have reported on the use of pandemic regulations by Norwegian police to unfairly arrest, detain, heavily fine and deport foreign sex workers. Read the article below or on PION's website.

NSWP member organisation Trans United Europe – founded to unite the networks of European operating Trans BPOC NGOs and individual BPOC trans activists living and working in Europe – have reported on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Trans BPOC people in Europe through NSWP’s COVID-19 Impact Survey.

New Generation Humanitarian NGO, an NSWP member organisation based in Armenia, have been providing temporary shelter, food packages, and legal support for sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Russian Forum of Sex Workers, an NSWP member organisation, have shared a video of a police officer addressing a sex worker at a police station in Russia. 

30th July is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Sex Workers Alliance Ireland circulated this press release illustrating that Ireland is not utilising its best weapon against sex trafficking: sex workers themselves. You can read the full release on SWAI's website.

A new law criminalising clients has come into effect in Israel. The law, which was approved a year and a half ago by the Knesset, punishes those caught seeking the services of sex workers, as well as those apprehended in a location chiefly used for sex work.