English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
Specific responsibilities are also provided by further articles in the Ordinance on
Prostitution:
Article 10 provides for propagation and education on prostitution prevention and combat.
Curricula includes: education on the cultural and ethical traditions; healthy lifestyles;
harms of prostitution; and policies, measures, experiences and laws regarding prostitution
prevention and combat combined with the propagation and education on drug and
HIV/AIDS infection prevention and combat;
Article 14 identifies socio-economic measures to prevent and combat prostitution, which
states that State agencies in coordination with mass organizations, provide: (a) training
and creating jobs for income generation, poverty alleviation and hunger reduction; (b) organizing
medical treatment, education, job training and creation for reintegration of women
in prostitution; and (c) helping those in prostitution integrate into the community;
Article 15 states that hotels, rest houses, restaurants, dancing halls, karaoke, massage
and sauna parlours and other services likely to be abused for prostitution activities
must sign labour contracts with labourers, make labour registration with local labour management
agencies, refrain from employing those aged under 18 years in jobs that will affect
their development, and organize regular health check ups for labourers;
Article 16 provides that agencies, organizations and individuals must not produce, circulate,
transport, store, trade in, export, import and/or disseminate pictures, articles, products
and/or information with depraved, pornographic and/or sex-stimulating contents and
forms. This applies to press and publication activities, cultural and information services;
The further responsibilities of MOLISA, MPS, MCI, 337 MOH, Ministry of Transport, MOET,
National Administration of Tourism (NAT) and People’s Committees are also provided in
Articles 32-35.
Nevertheless, there are no specific measures in the Ordinance on Prostitution explicitly
providing equal treatment of women in prostitution in relation to protection from rape and other
sexual assault cases, which they are highly vulnerable to because of their work. There are also
no particular provisions ensuring non-discrimination against these women in provision of basic
services and in their access to rights. As these women are generally stigmatized, an explicit
provision on these will highlight the need to ensure non-discrimination.
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Additionally, there is no re-emphasis on the rights of women in prostitution. In many
cases as these women are stigmatized or marginalized, there is a need to re-state their rights.
In identifying the curricula for propagation and education – for example, in Articles 4 and 6 of
the Decree on Prostitution Ordinance - the rights of women in prostitution must be re-emphasized.
This is should include basic human rights, such as the right to health-care services, the
right to education, and specific rights due to their situation; for example, special assistance
relating to filing cases, protection of privacy and confidentiality.
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Now MCST
Review of key legal documents and compliance with CEDAW