Submissions

ESWA engages regularly with national and regional bodies that create, shape and vote on policies that impact the lives of sex workers.
On the regional level, we engage with with the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Commission. We often collaborate closely with our European Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion, to show that the fight for sex workers rights represents a broader movement standing up for for human rights, equality, and protection from discrimination. On the national level, our national member organisations know best what works in their local context. When requested, we provide support to strengthen their message.

What does it mean to engage?

2025

• ESWA’s response to the European Parliament’s Resolution on the Gender Equality Strategy (GES) 2026-2030
  
  
• Expression of Concern: proposed amendments to PES Resolution 07
  
  
• Civil Society Strategy 2026-2030 European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) contribution to advance the EU CSO Strategy beyond 2025
  
  
• European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) contribution to advance Gender Equality beyond 2025
  
  
• EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2026-2030 ESWA Feedback
  
  
• Advancing trans and sex workers’ rights through the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy
  
  
• Input to the addendum to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls on the concept of consent in relation to violence against women and girls
  
  
• Submission from 23 Organisations in Response to the Special Rapporteur’s Report on "Sex-Based" Violence Against Women and Girls: New Frontiers and Emerging Issues

2024

• Our Collective Vision for Gender equality in the EU: Joint CSO Statement
  
  
• Letter in Support: Vote in Favour of the Resolution on the Human Rights of Sex Workers
  
  
• Feedback on the request from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Bundestag, to “end the
  inhumane conditions of prostitution - punish the purchase of sexual services”.
  
  
• Joint Statement: Human rights groups regret the outcome of European Court ruling on France’s criminalisation  policies in relation to sex work
  
• Open Letter Supporting the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights_
  
  
• Joint Statement in Reaction to the Council Position on the Victims' Rights Directive Revision
  
  
• Input for SR VAWG's report on violence against women and prostitution
  
  

• Joint NGO Statement on recast EU Anti-Trafficking Directive
  
  

• Joint civil society reaction to the adoption of the EU Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence

2023

• Joint NGO call to EU leaders RE revising the Anti-Trafficking Directive, Joint civil society recommendations for the trialogue negotiations on the revision of the EU ‘Anti-Trafficking December 11, 2023
  

• Contribution to HRC report - SR right to health: “Drug policies and responses: a right to health framework on harm reduction”, November 15, 2023

• Statement of Support for the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls regarding their Position Paper on Eliminating Discrimination Against Sex Workers and Securing their Human Rights, November 8, 2023

• Joint Statement on EU Anti-Trafficking Day, the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission, October 18, 2023
  

• Open letter to Members of the European Parliament Re: Article 18 a) of the Anti-trafficking Directive (CA 11 and CA 11a alternative), October 4, 2023
  

• Joint civil society position on key aspects of the European Parliament and Council of the EU position on the Proposal for a Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence 2022/0066 (COD), SEPTEMBER 29, 2023
  

• Open letter of the European Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion to Members of the European Parliament Re: Prostitution Report, September 11, 2023
  

• Open Letter to Members of the Initiative: "Protection and Respect for Sex Workers", August 30, 2023 
  

• We demand a gender-inclusive and safe digital world that is free from violence for all!, Letter to Members of the European Parliament, May 30, 2023
  

• Feedback on the revision of Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims

• Open Letter of Coalition on Sex Workers’ Rights and Inclusion to Members of the European Parliament RE: Violence Against Women Report, January 2023

2022

• ESWA's letter to MEPs regarding Report on Women’s Poverty in Europe (2021/2170[INI])

• Feedback by European Sex Workers Rights Alliance about the Commission’s Proposal for a Directive on Combating violence against women and domestic violence

• ESWA Position Paper on the Evaluation and Revision of the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (2022/36/EU)

• ESWA Coordinator Sabrina Sanchez's speech at OSCE's 22nd Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons on the Panel: "Ensuring Assistance to All Victims."

• ESWA's letter to the President, Parliament and Government of North Macedonia regarding budget cuts threatening the national response to HIV

• ESWA's letter to Alice Bah Kunke providing recommendations for the report on Intersectional discrimination in the European Union: the socio-economic situation of women of African, Middle-Eastern, Latin-American and Asian descent

• Feedback by European Sex Worker’s Rights Alliance (ESWA): Revision of the victims’ rights acquis

2021

• Written feedback on EU rules on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
  
  
• ICRSE's response to Public Consultation on Combatting Gender-based Violence, Protecting Victims and Punishing Offenders 
  
  
• ICRSE Statement on CEDAW Committee General Recommendation No 38 (2020) on Trafficking in Women and Girls in the Context of Global Migration
  
  
• Submission on the 2021-2025 EU action plan against migrant smuggling
  
  
• Contribution from the ICRSE on Fighting Organised Crime -EU Strategy for 2021-2025
  
  
• Open letter to ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci
  
  
• Written feedback on Gender-based and Domestic Violence Initiative

   

2020

• Submission to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the General Assembly Resolution A/RES/74/148 on the Protection of migrants 
  
  
• Written feedback on EU Strategy on victim’s rights (2020-2024) provided by International Committee on the Rights of sex workers in Europe 
  
  
• Written feedback on European Commission's public consultation on Gender-Based and Domestic Violence Initiative
   
• Written feedback on the implementation of the EU Directive on victims’ rights 

2019

• Submission to the public consultation on reform on human trafficking and prostitution in Malta
  
  
• Submission to the International Committee of Jurists “Developing principles to address the detrimental impact on health, equality and human rights of criminalization with a focus on select conduct in the areas of sexuality, reproduction, drug use and HIV” 
  
  
• Submission to CEDAW General Recommendation on Trafficking in Women and Girls in the Context of Global Migration 
  
  
• Recommendations by ICRSE for the 2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting Working Session 9 Humanitarian issues and other commitments, including Combating trafficking in human being

2018

• Submission from the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) to the UN Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice 
  
  
• Submission from the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) to the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children: innovative and transformative models of social inclusion for victims of trafficking