Sex Industry Worker Act
The Sex Industry Worker Act was quickly drafted following the adoption of Repeal "Legalize Prostitution", which overturned the Legalize Prostitution resolution. Since the intense debate over Repeal "Legalize Prostitution" focused on the health and safety of prostitutes, the replacement resolution took the approach of protecting sex trade workers as a means to promote that industry. This resolution gives nations the right to regulate prostitution and other sex industries, but also stipulates that governments must make these industries legal. The replacement passed with a significant majority.
History
The item of sex has always stirred up the NS United Nations, dividing the nations in two camps: those definitely against, and those definitely for. It is rare to see nations in doubt on this issue. The history begins with Legalize Prostitution, resolution #46, a strong Human Rights resolution made by Kepone:
The text: "As you are aware, there are citizens who get by in desperate times by selling their bodies in order to pay their bills and feed their children. Both men and women partake in this profession. If we legalized prostitution, people would be able to sell themselves to get by. In return, the government could use the money collected from taxes on prostitution income to support programs that help the poor. Prostitution is the oldest profession. Why must we make it a priority for law enforcement to monitor and arrest prostitutes when there are greater crimes out there?"
It was implemented on February 2, 2004, with a narrow 10,899 - 9,310 margin. But a lot of nations objected to the poor wording of the resolution, leading to its repeal on January 12, 2005, by a very close margin of 10,373 for versus 9,022 against the repeal.
Many more progressive nations were disappointed by the repeal, and a few initiatives sprang up to reinstate legal prostitution throughout the UN, but with a better phrased resolution and with more regulating clauses to deal with the presumed negative effects of prostitution. In the end, the proposal by Groot Gouda managed to cover those points, reach quorum and was implemented relatively easy less than a month after the repeal and with a 4000-vote difference. It was put under the Free Trade category, as it ultimately deals with an economic freedom, more than with a Human Right. The controversial choice was made to make legalising prostituting mandatory, instead of the more common urging. Despite the strong feelings nations have over this issue, so far it does not seem to prevent people from joining the UN.
Resolution Text
UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION #91
The Sex Industry Worker Act A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.
- Category: Free Trade
- Strength: Significant
- Proposed by: Groot Gouda
Description:
The NationStates UN,
RECALLING resolution #46 "Legalize Prostitution" and the repeal of that resolution,
ALSO RECALLING Resolution #7 (Sexual Freedom), and Resolution #53 (Universal Freedom of Choice), which make sex a private issue, instead of a government issue, and stating "a populace granted the freedom to make choices in life is a happier, more content and more productive society"
AFFIRMING in accordance with the above mentioned resolution that each person has the right to decide over their own body, and has the right to sell ther body if they decide to, without government interference,
ASSUMING an increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, as well as an increase in crime, and higher pressure on police, in a situation where prostitution is illegal,
ACKNOWLEDGING that health risks exist, even with legal prostitution,
1. DECLARES prostitution legal throughout the UN: any person who is mature ,and capable of making their own decisions may become a prosititute,
2. EMPHASIZES that legalizing prostitution must coincide with regulation from the government, such as health and safety and other employment legislation, just like any other profession,
3. RECOMMENDS nations that want to limit prostitution to tackle the issue by its roots and create education and social programs that will give more choice to people who might want to become a prostitute,
4. REQUESTS all nations to stimulate a clean and attractive working environment for prostitutes, and advises cooperation with the sex industry to renovate old "illegal" prostitution areas in towns and cities,
5. CONDEMNS child abuse and slavery in accordance with earlier UN resolutions (End slavery, Child Labor, Outlaw Pedophilia, The Child Protection Act, Ban Trafficking in Persons, etc) and advises strong punishments against people involved with these despicable crimes that explicitly are not covered by legal prostitution.
- Votes For: 10,558
- Votes Against: 6,452
- Implemented: Sun Feb 6 2005
