MEXICO (Estados-Unidos Mexicanos)

POSITION PAPER

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Agenda: Legalisation of Prostitution

Mexico covers almost 2 million square kilometers with over 106 million inhabitants and the Official

Language is Spanish. The Mexican government is highly committed to the promotion and protection

of all human rights within a framework of international cooperation.

For the Mexican delegate, the following issues will deserve special attention:

1. REGULATION OF PROSTITUTION

13 of 31 states in Mexico have legalized prostitution, the pride of which remains the Galactic
Zone, situated outside Tuxtla in the state of Chiapas. Prostitution there is not only legal, but
also regulated. First, the Zone appears to have broad popular support. In Tuxtla, “prostitution
is generally accepted (and sometimes valued) as long as it is confined and invisible,” which
is precisely what the Galactic Zone accomplishes.
Second, Zone workers have a “great deal of freedom and exercise control over their work.”
They alone decide when to work and for how long, who they will serve, and their rates; they
come and go as they please; and many take extended leaves to visit family in other parts of
Mexico. Almost all of the 140 women working in the Zone are independent, free of pimps.
Mexican law does not allow pimping in any manner, or for a third person to gain any benefit
out of the trade for sex between two persons.
There are unpleasant aspects of this type of highly regulated type of prostitution, but the net
effect of working in the Galactic Zone is positive for the women: control over working
conditions, lack of coercion, economic advancement, and enhanced self-esteem.

2. HEALTH SAFETY FOR POPULATION WITH REFERENCE TO STDs

As per Mexican law, it is mandatory to register in order to be a part of the sex trade.
Regulations are to be followed and regular health checkups for the prostitutes, which are
reflected in a health card issued to them, are mandatory, failure to comply with which results
in illegal prostitution. Protection is to be used at all times, in all transactions. This assists in
controlling the spread of STDs such as Syphilis and HIV AIDs.

Although the registration and mandatory health checks may seem burdensome, it has been
documented that there are positive outcomes for those who work legally, and these benefits
are quite significant. A major finding is that legal status, in itself, has diffuse effects on the
workers: providing social capital, empowerment, and a sense of professionalism.
The legal workers have better working conditions and job satisfaction, less fear about the
nature of their work, and a higher degree of sophistication and confidence. Registration and
monthly checkups appear to encourage behavior that are protective of health as well as
provide a barrier against police harassment. Registration increases the sense of legitimacy
and community and is correlated with much lower levels of depression and mental stress.

3. SOCIAL STIGMA AND ACCEPTANCE

Although it is the oldest profession in the world, there exists a social stigma that does not
allow people who sell their bodies to live peacefully in the society. They are mocked,
ridiculed, resented and sometimes tortured merely for their choice of profession. One of the
reasons for such stigma could be that the work done by them is considered to be “illegal” and
“immoral”. It is only when the law would change, then the society’s views and norms would
change as well. Legalising prostitution would give the prostitutes some form of social
security.
Moreover, the social stigma attached to these legal work settings is also lessened. Legal work
is safer than illegal work, partly because of an improved relationship with the police, who are
now more prepared to intervene in disputes between customers and workers. For legal
workers, the policing of customers offers protection against customer violence. Illegal
workers, by contrast, experience police harassment, violence, fines, and incarceration; they
have less stable social support networks; and they are about twice as likely as the legal
workers to have been assaulted, robbed, or kidnapped.

4. PREVENTION OF TRAFFICKING

Legalising and regulating prostitution will make live safer for sex workers and help break the
pimps and trafficking gangs who exploit them. The traffickers thrive because the sex
business is driven underground. Legalise it, and they will fade away. Prostitutes will feel
safer going to the police if they no longer fear prosecution. The police will be able to focus
resources on cracking down on the real villains – the criminal gangs who exploit sex
workers. The experience of places like Nevada, Switzerland and New Zealand show that
legalised, regulated prostitution works. Trafficking becomes a lot easier to catch once we can
recognize those who are in this profession by choice and those who are not.
MEXICO’S STAND

Mexico stands proud to state that prostitution should be legalized, but in a regulated manner.
There is no reason to ostracize those who are not of a conventional profession, and there
must be measures taken to ensure safety for the health and the lives of these sex workers.
Equal rights and dignity must be given to them, for without which, we are mere animals and
do not deserve civilization.