World Charter For Prostitutes' Rights

International Committee for Prostitutes' Rights (ICPR), Amsterdam 1985,
Published in Pheterson, G (ed.), A Vindication of the Rights of Whores.
Seattle: Seal Press, 1989. (p.40)

[Laws]
* Decriminalize all aspects of adult prostitution resulting from individual
decision.

* Decriminalize prostitution and regulate third parties according to
standard business codes. It must be noted that existing standard business
codes allow abuse of prostitutes. Therefore special clauses must be included
to prevent the abuse and stigmatization of prostitutes (self-employed and
others).

* Enforce criminal laws against fraud, coercion, violence, child sexual
abuse, child labor, rape, racism everywhere and across national boundaries,
whether or not in the context of prostitution.

* Eradicate laws that can be interpreted to deny freedom of association, or
freedom to travel, to prostitutes within and between countries. Prostitutes
have rights to a private life.

[Human Rights]
* Guarantee prostitutes all human rights and civil liberties, including the
freedom of speech, travel, immigration, work, marriage, and motherhood and
the right to unemployment insurance, health insurance and housing.

* Grant asylum to anyone denied human rights on the basis of a "crime of
status," be it prostitution or homosexuality.

[Working Conditions]
* There should be no law which implies systematic zoning of prostitution.
Prostitutes should have the freedom to choose their place of work and
residence. It is essential that prostitutes can provide their services under
the conditions that are absolutely determined by themselves and no one else.

* There should be a committee to insure the protection of the rights of the
prostitutes and to whom prostitutes can address their complaints. This
committee must be comprised of prostitutes and other professionals like
lawyers and supporters.

* There should be no law discriminating against prostitutes associating and
working collectively in order to acquire a high degree of personal security.

[Health]
* All women and men should be educated to periodical health screening for
sexually transmitted diseases. Since health checks have historically been
used to control and stigmatize prostitutes, and since adult prostitutes are
generally even more aware of sexual health than others, mandatory checks for
prostitutes are unacceptable unless they are mandatory for all sexually
active people.

[Services]
* Employment, counseling, legal, and housing services for runaway children
should be funded in order to prevent child prostitution and to promote child
well-being and opportunity.

* Prostitutes must have the same social benefits as all other citizens
according to the different regulations in different countries.

* Shelters and services for working prostitutes and re-training programs for
prostitutes wishing to leave the life should be funded.

[Taxes]
* No special taxes should be levied on prostitutes or prostitute businesses.

* Prostitutes should pay regular taxes on the same basis as other
independent contractors and employees, and should receive the same benefits.

[Public Opinion]
* Support educational programs to change social attitudes which stigmatize
and discriminate against prostitutes and ex-prostitutes of any race, gender
or nationality.

* Develop educational programs which help the public to understand that the
customer plays a crucial role in the prostitution phenomenon, this role
being generally ignored. The customer, like the prostitute, should not,
however, be criminalized or condemned on a moral basis.

* We are in solidarity with workers in the sex industry.

[Organization]
* Organizations of prostitutes and ex-prostitutes should be supported to
further implementation of the above charter.

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