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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

Belgium’s sex workers win maternity pay and pension rights in world first

The red light district in Ghent
The red light district in Ghent. The law, which came into force on Sunday, ensures that sex workers have employment contracts and legal protection. Photograph: Belga News Agency/Alamy

Belgian sex workers have gained the right to sick days, maternity pay and pension rights under the first law of its kind in the world.

Lawmakers voted in May to give sex workers the same employment protections as any other employee, in an attempt to clamp down on abuse and exploitation.

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