Advancing Sex Workers’ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: A Toolkit for Inclusive Programming

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are not only an integral part of the right to health but also necessary to enjoy many other human rights. Sex workers, like all people, are entitled to access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care free from stigma, discrimination, coercion and violence. However, due to widespread criminalization, stigma and discrimination, sex workers are often excluded from essential SRH services, exacerbating vulnerabilities and violating their fundamental human rights. Furthermore, the healthcare available to sex workers is seldom informed by the community’s needs and preferences.

This toolkit is grounded in international guidance and frameworks on sex workers’ health and human rights. It builds directly on Implementing Comprehensive HIV/STI Programmes with Sex Workers: Practical Approaches from Collaborative Interventions (2013). This publication centres rights-based, inclusive health services for sex workers, anchored in community empowerment and meaningful involvement.

This toolkit consolidates key principles, best practices and clinical guidance into a practical resource tailored to the needs of sex worker communities. In addition to outlining comprehensive SRH services, this resource aims to provide tools for designing and delivering rights-based SRH programmes in collaboration with sex workers. Informed by the lived experiences of sex workers, it centres meaningful involvement, inclusivity and sustainability in partnerships with sex worker-led organizations, thereby increasing its effectiveness among this population. 

The toolkit is intended for healthcare providers, programme managers, sex worker-led organizations, civil society actors, policymakers and others involved in SRH programming and advocacy.

You can download this resource below. It is available now in English and will soon be available in French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.