'The Limits of Regulation: How European sex work policies may restrict Sex workers' rights'

Sex work policies in Europe form a complex landscape, particularly when balancing anti-trafficking measures with sex workers' fundamental human rights. This presentation explores the divergent policy approaches of the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. While the Netherlands and Germany continue to rely on strict regulatory systems, Belgium recently shifted toward a full decriminalization model, following the example of New Zealand.

Viewed through a human rights lens, the talk analyzes how current regulatory frameworks in the Netherlands and Germany impact, restrict, or even violate the rights of sex workers, and contrasts this with the new Belgian approach. By examining three concrete anti-trafficking measures in the Netherlands—mandatory registration, minimum age requirements, and strict workplace regulations—the presentation outlines the effects of Dutch sex work policies on sex workers.

Mapping this European landscape highlights valuable lessons policymakers might learn from New Zealand's decriminalized framework.