III. Specific issues

D. 3D jobs and occupational health

Sex work

59. The possibility of arrest, detention and deportation due to immigration status further discourages access to health facilities, goods and services, particularly for transgender sex workers who may face severe discrimination and abuse in their home country.^[131] Health needs of migrant sex workers are poorly understood in many countries, resulting in policies that fail to address their needs and vitiate the right to health. For example, possession of a condom as evidence of sex work-related criminality actively deters migrant sex workers from carrying condoms, which results in risky sexual behaviour and exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.^[132]

60. Ensuring non-discriminatory access to health care both in law and practice requires States to decriminalize consensual adult sex work, enact and implement laws extending labour rights, occupational health and safety and access to affordable health care, with particular focus on irregular migrant sex workers.

Link to full text of the report: Report-SRHealth-HRC-Migrants-2013-eng