In August 2025, Sex Workers and Allies South Asia (SWASA) hosted a groundbreaking roundtable in Colombo titled “Sexual Service Providers – Rights and Realities.” The dialogue brought together feminist activists, legal experts, labour rights advocates, and sex workers to openly discuss one of the most contested issues in rights movements: the recognition of sex work as labour.
The event created a safe, respectful, and open-minded space where participants could exchange ideas, challenge stereotypes, and explore new ways of working together for rights-based activism.
Why This Dialogue Mattered
Conversations about sex work are often charged with controversy, shaped by stereotypes of exploitation and victimhood. Media portrayals, public opinion, and policy frequently reinforce these narrow views, leaving little space for the voices of sex workers themselves.
Feminist movements have long interrogated body politics, sexuality, and reproduction, yet sex work has remained a dividing line. While contraception and reproductive rights are recognized as matters of autonomy, sex work—where sexuality intersects with livelihood often sparks discomfort and moral judgement.
At the same time, the recognition of male and transgender sex workers, and the influence of queer politics, has disrupted traditional narratives. These perspectives demand a rethinking of assumptions around gender, sexuality, consent, and choice. The dialogue created by SWASA stepped directly into this space of tension to ask difficult but necessary questions.
Goals of the Roundtable
The roundtable aimed to:
Ø Build a stronger understanding of sex workers’ rights through the lenses of consent, representation, and intimacy.
Ø Examine how laws and policies, such as the Vagrants Ordinance, impact sex workers in Sri Lanka.
Ø Explore safe working conditions and how the principles of the Decent Work Agenda might apply to sexual services.
Ø Identify common ground, disagreements, and opportunities for solidarity across feminist, labour, and human rights movements.
Ø Center the voices of sex workers in shaping rights-based activism.
A Safe and Open Space
The methodology emphasized dialogue and mutual respect over rigid structure. The schedule was deliberately flexible, allowing discussions to flow freely and ensuring every participant had space to speak.
Care was taken to build a non-judgemental environment where diverse perspectives could be heard. Consent protocols were strictly followed for documentation, photography, and sharing of reflections, safeguarding participants’ dignity and safety.
Key Presentations
The dialogue was anchored by three expert presentations that sparked debate and reflection:
Beyond the Vagrants Ordinance: Legal Realities of Sex Work
This session unpacked the criminalization of sex work in Sri Lanka, exploring the challenges faced by sex workers and legal professionals under outdated laws.
Safe Working Conditions: Dream or Doable?
Here, participants discussed what safety looks like in the context of sexual services, and whether international frameworks like the Decent Work Agenda could be applied.
Recognizing Sex Work as Labour: Rights and Protections
The final presentation made the case for labour rights, stressing the importance of treating sex work as legitimate work and addressing the structural and legal barriers to protection.
Moving Toward Solidarity
Despite differences, important areas of solidarity emerged:
Ø A shared commitment to resist moral policing.
Ø Agreement on the importance of amplifying sex workers’ voices.
Ø Recognition of the urgent need for legal and labour reforms.
The dialogue reaffirmed the value of creating safe spaces for exchange, where disagreements can be aired without silencing or judgement. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, SWASA created the conditions for alliances that affirm dignity, autonomy, and justice.
The “Sexual Service Providers – Rights and Realities” roundtable marked a significant step forward in Sri Lanka’s feminist and rights landscape. It did not seek to resolve all debates but instead created a platform for honest conversation, reflection, and collective visioning.
For sex workers in Sri Lanka and across South Asia, the struggle for rights is deeply tied to broader fights for equality, bodily autonomy, and labour protections. By holding this dialogue, SWASA has helped push the conversation beyond stereotypes toward a future where sex workers are recognized not as victims, but as workers and rights-holders deserving of dignity and protection.