This open access book provides a comprehensive overview of the health inequities and human rights issues faced by sex workers globally across diverse contexts, and outlines evidence-based strategies and best practices.

Sex workers face severe health and social inequities, largely as the result of structural factors including punitive and criminalized legal environments, stigma, and social and economic exclusion and marginalization. Although previous work has largely emphasized an elevated burden and gaps in HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) services in sex work, less attention has been paid to the broader health and human rights concerns faced by sex workers. This contributed volume addresses this gap. 

The chapters feature a variety of perspectives including academic, community, implementing partners, and government to synthesize research evidence as well as lessons learned from local-level experiences across different regions, and are organized under three parts:

• Burden of health and human rights inequities faced by sex workers globally, including infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, STIs), violence, sexual and reproductive health, and drug use  
• Structural determinants of health and human rights, including legislation, law enforcement, community engagement, intersectoral collaboration, stigma, barriers to health access, im/migration issues, and occupational safety and health
• Evidence-based services and best practices at various levels ranging from individual and community to policy-level interventions to identify best practices and avenues for future research and interventions

Sex Work, Health, and Human Rights is an essential resource for researchers, policy-makers, governments, implementing partners, international organizations and community-based organizations involved in research, policies, or programs related to sex work, public health, social justice, gender-based violence, women's health and harm reduction.

Chapter 1. Overview and Evidence-Based Recommendations to Address Health and Human Rights Inequities Faced by Sex Workers

Part I. Burden of Health and Human Rights Inequities Faced by Sex Workers Globally
Chapter 2. The Epidemiology of HIV Among Sex Workers Around the World: Implications for Research, Programs, and Policy
Chapter 3. Global Burden of Violence and Other Human Rights Violations Against Sex Workers
Chapter 4. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Inequities Among Sex Workers Across the Life Course
Chapter 5. Exploring the Protective Role of Sex Work Social Cohesion in Contexts of Violence and Criminalisation: A Case Study with Gender-Diverse Sex Workers in Jamaica
Chapter 6. Patterns and Epidemiology of Illicit Drug Use Among Sex Workers Globally: A Systematic Review
Part II. Structural Determinants of Health and Human Rights Inequities in Sex Work
Chapter 7. Criminalised Interactions with Law Enforcement and Impacts on Health and Safety in the Contextof Different Legislative Frameworks Governing Sex Work Globally
Chapter 8. Stigma, Denial of Health Services, and Other Human Rights Violations Faced by Sex Workers in Africa: 'My eyes were full of tears throughout walking towards the clinic that I was referred to'
Chapter 9. Criminalisation, Health, and Labour Rights Among Im/migrant Sex Workers Globally
Part III. Evidence-Based Services and Best Practices: Opportunities for Action
Chapter 10. Sex Worker-led Provision of Services in New Zealand: Optimising Health and Safety in a Decriminalised Context
Chapter 11. Best Practices and Challenges to Sex Worker Community Empowerment and Mobilization Strategies to Promote Health and Human Rights
Chapter 12. Reimagining Sex Work Venues: Occupational Health, Safety, and Rights in Indoor Workplaces
Chapter 13. Integrated Interventions to Address Sex Workers' Needs and Realities: Academic and Community Insights on Incorporating Structural, Behavioural, and Biomedical Approaches.