A/HRC/56/48 I. Introduction 1. The Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, submits the present report pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 50/7. In the report, the Special Rapporteur examines violence against women and sexual exploitation as a form, cause and consequence of prostitution, assesses the key conceptual frameworks and terminologies, international human rights and legal standards, and takes stock of legislative and policy models. In response to the call for input to the report, the Special Rapporteur received some 300 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders.1 The Special Rapporteur also convened seven online consultations with 86 experts and women with lived experiences from across all continents. II. Activities undertaken by the Special Rapporteur 2. The Special Rapporteur conducted an official country visit to Poland from 27 February to 9 March 2023 and to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 12 to 21 February 2024. On 3 October 2023, the Special Rapporteur addressed the General Assembly to present her report on violence against women and girls, nationality laws and statelessness.2 On 11 March 2024, the Special Rapporteur delivered a statement at the opening session of the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women and organized a side event on the thirtieth anniversary of the mandate co-sponsored by Canada and Costa Rica. The Special Rapporteur advocated for the initiative launched by a group of countries for an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women focusing on violence against women. III. Terminology and definitions 3. The term “prostitution” itself is not defined in international law.3 The concept of prostitution, and the associated terminology, are contentious and polarizing. Confused translations, lack of clear definitions and euphemisms have added a layer of complications. The terminology used in the present report is based on the understanding of prostitution as a system of violence,4 which reduces women and girls to commodities. It is a system of inequality and discrimination based on sex and other intersecting grounds, which affects a woman’s ability to achieve equality. Three groups of actors take part in this system: individuals – usually men and boys – who buy sexual acts; individuals – usually women and girls – who are bought to satisfy these sexual acts; and third parties who organize, or profit or benefit from prostituting the latter group. The term “prostitution system” reflects the Special Rapporteur’s findings that prostitution is intrinsically linked to different forms of violence against women and girls and constitutes a form of violence in and of itself. Pornography is understood to be filmed prostitution,5 and is also covered in the present report. 4. In selecting terminology, the Special Rapporteur dedicated a session on terminology during the expert consultations, assessed the input received, centred a human rights-based approach and favoured language agreed on by Member States. The Special Rapporteur is aware that her approach contrasts with the terms and language used by some United Nations entities and human rights mechanisms.6 She uses the terms “prostituted women and girls” and “exploitation of prostitution of women and girls” because they align with international 1 2 3 4 5 6 2 Owing to the word limit, the Special Rapporteur was unable to cite all the documents reviewed. A/78/256. In its resolution of 14 September 2023 on the regulation of prostitution in the EU: its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights, the Parliament of the European Union tried to fill the gap in international law by advancing a definition of prostitution. Joint submission by the Swedish Women’s Lobby et al. Submission by Prostitution Research and Education. A/HRC/WG.11/39/1.