CHALLENGING THE CURRENT CONVENTION: ADVOCATING SEX WORKERS RIGHTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS
AUTHOR – PRARTHANA BR, STUDENT AT CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY), BANGLORE, CENTRAL CAMPUS
BEST CITATION – PRARTHANA BR, CHALLENGING THE CURRENT CONVENTION: ADVOCATING SEX WORKERS RIGHTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (2) OF 2026, PG. 260-270, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/OPNV4185
ABSTRACT
Despite being one of the oldest professions, sex work is also one among the most stigmatized. Sex workers have been criminalized, policed, and marginalized for centuries by legal and social systems, making them invisible in the discourse surrounding human rights. By redefining sex work as labour and sex worker’s rights as fundamental human rights, the study questions established norms. The study identifies the main obstacles preventing sex workers from exercising their rights and dignity through a qualitative and descriptive analysis of national laws, international conventions, scholarly works, and reports from non-governmental organizations. It draws attention to how marginalization is exacerbated by the intersections of caste, gender, class, and immigration status. Lastly, it makes policy recommendations for decriminalization, legal reform, and acknowledging sex workers as workers and citizens with rights. Conclusively, through this study an attempt has been made to bring a sense of parity in context of treating sex workers socially, with all due respect and dignity.
KEYWORDS: Sex work, Human rights, Decriminalization, Gender justice, Labor rights, Stigma, Policy reform.