Table of Contents

Welcome Letter 3
Student Officer Introductions 4
Introduction to the Committee 5
Introduction to the Topic 8
Background of the Topic 10
Key Terms and Definitions 12
Scope of Debate 13
Key Stakeholders 22
Potential Solutions 24
Questions a Resolution Must Answer (QARMA) 28
Conclusion 29
Bibliography 30

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Welcome Letter
Dear delegates,

Welcome to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)! Continuous

development has always been a crucial aspect that all countries seek to achieve. Over four
days of rigorous and thrilling debate, all delegates will discuss and debate critical threats to
countries’ development, and how to overcome them for the betterment of society.

At PREPMUN 2023, delegates of the UNDP will address the issue of forced prostitution,
which is a complex and nuanced issue. As a topic that has plagued the world for centuries, it
is crucial to discuss issues pertaining to forced prostitution, including human trafficking,
alleviation of poverty, and health of forced prostituted individuals. This Study Guide serves
as a starting point for your dive into this intriguing topic, and we hope that it will aid you in
your preparation for the conference.

Should you have any questions for the dais, you may reach us at
undp@prepmun23@gmail.com. We look forward to meeting all delegates soon, and hope
that you will enjoy the four days of debate ahead of you at PREPMUN 2023!

Yours faithfully,
Snow, JiaYi, Yulin
Dais of the United Nations Development Programme

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Student Officer Introductions

Head Student Officer: Snow Heng

Snow is a Year 5 student at Raffles Institution, taking the unique (in the circuit, at least)
combination of BCME. As a science student through and through, MUN is one of her rare
forays into the Humanities, but certainly one that she does not regret. Outside of MUN, she
can often be found completing her snowballing tutorials, crocheting, or reading Chinese
books, to the horror of many of her peers. She is excited to embark on her PREPMUN
journey, and wishes all delegates the best of luck for the conference!

Deputy Student Officer: Huang JiaYi

JiaYi (or Jiayi, she doesn’t really know anymore) is a Year 5 student at HCI who has just
successfully earned herself the title of a mugger. Although relatively new to the MUN circuit,
she finds herself enjoying the debate and meeting new people in the circuit. Outside of
MUN, Jiayi is a BCME student with various side hustles like playing the guitar, frisbee and
mobile games. She hopes that the delegates enjoy debating UNDP’s very interesting topic,
and looks forward to chairing at PREPMUN 2023!

Deputy Student Officer: Lin Yulin

Yulin often questions herself on how and why she stumbled upon the MUN circuit. However,
that does not stop her from enjoying her time spent MUNning. As a true humanities
student, she can be found exploring the world of Chinese literature and going café hopping
around Singapore outside of MUN. She hopes that all delegates will enjoy their time here!

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Introduction to the Committee
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), established in 1965, is a global
network central to the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UN SDG). It
operates with a broad range of partners, from other UN councils to member state
governments and international institutions (Britannica, 2023). The UNDP plays an
imperative advisory role in pushing for the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals, primarily assisting countries in poverty alleviation, democratic governance,
environmental sustainability, and gender equality (UNDP, 2022). By offering global and local
perspectives as well as assisting in policy development, the UNDP helps to build resilient
nations (UNDP, n.d.). It currently has offices in some 170 countries and works to improve
standards of living by improving access to opportunities, improving their living conditions
and confronting social issues (UNDP, 2022).

One of the UNDP’s greatest strengths is its Global Policy Network, which is the basis of the
support provided to many countries by the UNDP. It includes national consultations which
connect the experience of 50,000 people worldwide. With the support of 33,000 experts
and practitioners globally, the UNDP aims to provide information, such that governments
can make better informed choices (UNDP, 2022). In tackling poverty, the UNDP has helped
25 million people worldwide gain access to basic services through support from 44 UNDP
offices (UNDP, 2022). Currently, the UNDP focuses on empowering local communities as a
long-term poverty alleviation strategy, through supporting the programmes targeting
alternative livelihoods, capacity building for small and medium-sized enterprises, and
assisting policy makers through knowledge and technology sharing (UNDP, n.d.).

The UNDP also actively collaborates with UN Women in improving gender equality, with its
current Gender Equality Strategy targeted at improving the standard of living of over 250
million women worldwide through finance, innovation and digitalisation (UNDP, 2022).
Previously, the UNDP also pushed out a similar Gender Equality Strategy for 2018 - 2021,
which has successfully supported 96 countries in addressing gender-based violence, helped

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75.7 million women gain access to basic services and financial assets, as well as scaled up
gender-responsive social protection and care systems in 73 countries (UNDP, 2021).

At the core of UNDP’s operations, the Sustainable Finance Hub serves as a backbone for the
funding of UNDP projects which pushes for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
hub includes collaborations between UNDP and over 40 countries on debt restructuring and
thematic bonds, which have generated over $11 billion by the end of 2022 (UNDP, 2022). The
UNDP also works with International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and governments to
execute wide-ranging projects (UNDP, 2022). Since 2010, the UNDP has assisted in projects
worth over $2.5 billion with IFI financing in 77 countries (UNDP, 2022). The UNDP’s strong
ties with these financial institutions as well as companies in the private sector allow for
greater investment into achieving the SDGs.

As an impartial and non legally-binding organisation, the UNDP is crucial in bridging the gap
between countries and fostering international cooperation for sustainable development for
countries to sustain their progress. Delegates are encouraged to make use of UNDP’s
resources and close ties with other organisations to advocate for policies as well assist
countries on the issue of forced prostitution.

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Introduction to the Topic
Forced prostitution is a sub-group of prostitution is often acknowledged but seldom
addressed. This entails the inhumane coercion of persons into the industry of prostitution,
which includes crimes such as sex trafficking and child labour. Despite clearly being a gross
infringement of human rights (Goldman, 2016), forced prostitution continues to occur
worldwide on various scales, from small pimps prostituting persons in underground brothels
to organised crime networks which conduct sex trafficking on a global scale.

Forced prostitution is related to several socioeconomic indicators, including poverty, gender

inequality, and more. An official report submitted to the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that there has been an increase in
prostitution due to rise in poverty, especially among women who turn to this profession as a
means of survival and to feed their families (ECP, 2018). In addition, some societies still
objectify women and hence exploit women for sexual purposes. These circumstances may
then indirectly force women into forced prostitution, and may result in them being trapped
in a vicious cycle.

Globally, forced prostitution is generally seen and agreed upon as unacceptable. However,
with a myriad of different reasons, including police corruption and the lack of regulation, the
issue has not been solved yet (“Global Network of Sex Work Projects”, n.d.). Given that 8
million adults were victims of forced sexual exploitation and 1 million children who were
victims of commercial sexual exploitation, it is in the UNDP's best interest to debate on this
contentious topic to find solutions and bring them justice (ILO, 2017).

Forced prostitution puts victims at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases,
which increases the prevalence of these diseases, which has downstream societal impacts.
This is exacerbated by the fact that forced prostituted persons are denied access to
protection measures. Victims that are isolated from society are unable to obtain the
necessary protective resources, which increases the chances of victims contracting sexual
diseases. As forced prostitution is most prevalent in victims from lower socioeconomic

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status, they are additionally unable to afford protection or medication, and are often
uneducated about the use of protection.

It can thus be seen that forced prostitution is a key issue which may impede social and
economic development of countries (Cowan, 2015). Victims are forced into poor working
conditions, which could possibly limit their potential to contribute to a formal economy, as
well as to greater societal benefit. Therefore, it is crucial for delegates to discuss how forced
prostitution may be minimised and how the health of forced prostituted persons may be
protected, to ensure the continuous growth and development of countries in a step towards
a more humane society.

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Background of the Topic
Forced prostitution is an age-old problem, with existing written records of it dating back to
ancient Greece, where Phaedo of Elis was forced into male prostitution due to his beauty
(Laërtius, 1925).

In modern history, forced prostitution has also been prevalent, where victims have been
exploited not only by organised crime, but by formal institutions, such as militaries. In World
War II, brothels were opened in Nazi Germany, where female prisoners of war were forced
to work in prostitution, as an additional incentive for forced labourers to increase
productivity (Graham, 2009). Simultaneously, the Japanese military forced thousands of
women into prostitution as comfort women in its various territories, providing sexual
services to Japanese soldiers (Blakemore, 2019).

An important driver of the prostitution industry is survival sex, where persons engage in
prostitution out of necessity, in exchange for basic living needs such as food, water and
shelter (Mariani, 2014). This is often an outcome of poverty and socioeconomic factors,
driving them to a state where prostitution is their only means to earn a living (Bryant, 2023).

Due to dependence on prostitution as a means of supporting themselves, perpetrators of

forced prostitution (such as human traffickers) often use methods such as manipulation,
violence and isolation to establish control over victims (Polaris Project, 2021). Violence
allows perpetrators to assert physical dominance and generates fear and anxiety in victims,
causing them to follow the instructions of the exploiters against their free will. Isolation, on
the other hand, causes victims to become detached from society, limiting their access to the
outside world. This makes it more difficult for them to reach out to others for help, leading
to dependence on perpetrators for survival, in turn forcing them to remain in the industry.

Unfortunately, social stigma against the prostitution industry renders victims unable to
obtain help even after they leave sex work. It is often assumed that prostitution is a
profession only for the uneducated, drug-dependent or mentally ill (Heikkilä, 2019). These
presumptions often lead to forms of discrimination, such as being denied access to goods

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and services (Stardust, 2017). With such social marginalisation, women are prevented from
getting help related to these aspects, which they need to leave the prostitution industry. In
a 1998 survey of 475 women who were involved in prostitution, 92% of them said they
wanted to escape but could not because they lacked basic human necessities such as a
home, job training, health care, counselling and treatment for drug or alcohol addiction
(Farley & Kelly, 2000). Similar studies also revealed that forced prostitution can often lead to
both physical and emotional trauma. The fear of their pimps interfering with their lives after
leaving the industry as well as trauma bonding can lead to prostituted persons to remain in
or go back to prostitution. Hence, forced prostituted individuals are confined to the industry,
which can lead to serious mental and physical health implications for the individuals and
their families. Delegates should consider these various factors, and how to provide effective
solutions through measures to reduce societal stigma and increasing the access to help for
forced prostituted individuals.

Past Actions
In response to the general problem of forced labour, the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
has enacted the 1957 Abolition of Forced Labour Convention to work towards the abolishment
of forced labour (ILO, 1957). Additionally, in response to child labour, ILO also enacted the 1999
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention to protect children from the exploitation of labour,
which may occur in child sex trafficking (ILO, 1999). However, there have not been any global
standards set regarding forced prostitution, since prostitution remains a taboo topic and a
stigmatised industry (Green, 1989). In addition, different countries have various policies tackling
prostitution and sex trafficking, but there are seldom policies in place to effectively help forced
prostituted persons gain access to protection and proper healthcare, let alone exit the industry.

Hence, delegates should discuss if and how global standards can be set to combat the specific
problem of forced prostitution, and whether countries should ensure the health of prostitutes.

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Key Terms and Definitions
Terms Definitions

Forced Prostitution Forced prostitution refers to persons becoming prostitutes against

their own will, due to coercion from a third party, or when they
have no other option for employment.

Procuring/Pimp A pimp is someone who procures prostitution, or provides and

facilitates the prostitution of a person.

Solicitation Solicitation refers to the act of payment for sexual services of a

prostitute.

Sex Trafficking The recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or

obtaining of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act
illegally, which includes being induced by force, fraud, or coercion
or in which the person induced is a minor (Human Trafficking
Capacity Building Center, n.d.).

Survival Sex Survival sex refers to having sex to obtain basic necessities for
survival, such as food, shelter and clothing (Mariani, 2014).

Sexually Transmitted STIs are infections which are transmitted via sexual intercourse,
Infections (STIs)/ leading to the development of STDs (CDC, 2019). Examples of STIs
Sexually Transmitted are chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV.
Diseases (STDs)

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Scope of Debate

Abduction and Manipulation in Human Trafficking

One of the main issues of forced prostitution is the coercion of victims into the industry,
where a major source of forced prostituted persons is human trafficking. Through this
coercion, victims experience abuse on several levels, and are exposed to the dangers of the
industry. Victims of these exploitative practices suffer from mental health issues such as
depression (Cepal Organisation, 1997) and are often subjected to physical abuse (American
Psychological Association, 2023). With 4.8 million people trafficked for forced sexual
exploitation (ILO, 2017), it may be pertinent to explore why human trafficking continues to
be a problem, and how it could be addressed.

Human trafficking is deemed as a transnational crime (European Union, 2012), as in most

cases, traffickers and trafficking networks operate across international borders. Trafficking
is facilitated through the use of counterfeit identification documents, and a network of
middlemen ensures that victims can be moved from one place to another while avoiding
detection (Campana, 2017). In cross-border cases, counterfeit identification documents can
be difficult to distinguish from genuine documents, and the nature of cross-border
smuggling further complicates efforts to combat forced prostitution as active international
cooperation is needed (Eurojust, 2021).

There are multiple ways through which persons are gathered for trafficking, such as through
abduction, where victims are kidnapped. However, trafficking also occurs through
manipulation, where victims are misled through false promises and opportunities. This often
occurs in conflict-ridden countries, where victims are tricked into accepting opportunities for
better work prospects, or escaping from conflicts or war (Love Justice, 2023). Through
deception, victims may willingly bring themselves into forced prostitution (Asokan, 2019).

Managing abduction and fraud poses significant challenges due to the complex nature of
this illicit industry, and victims often face difficulties in engaging the help of authorities due

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to confiscation of their identification documents and communication barriers (Fukushima,
2019). In some cases, seeking help may result in their return to previous living conditions,
which may be worse than living under exploitation. This creates a challenge in prosecuting
traffickers, as they are able to continue operating in a clandestine manner.

In addition, loopholes in jurisdiction (particularly those pertaining to the status of trafficking

victims) render the rescue and protection of victims a challenge. In particular, due to the
ambiguities in procedures for the handling of trafficking cases, it is difficult to provide
effective support and protection to those who have been ensnared in the industry.

Voluntary Entry into Prostitution

Besides being coerced into prostitution, there are also situations and dire circumstances that
leave people with no choice but to turn to prostitution. As the line between voluntary and
involuntary is blurred, these factors are often overlooked by legal frameworks. Thus,
delegates must carefully navigate the impact of such unfavourable circumstances on
prostitutes keeping them in the industry, as well as methods and consequences of
alleviating such problems for the prostitutes.

Poverty and Lack of Education

Poverty as a result of lack of economic opportunities is one of the most prominent
circumstances leading to prostitution. Prostitution has become a huge industry in recent
years, with over $180 billion spent each year on the global sex trade and each prostitute
being able to earn up to a thousand dollars in one night. As such, many people, especially
women, turn to prostitution as a form of income due to the lack of education and inability
to find other jobs. In a official report submitted to the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) by the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP), it
was stated that there has been an increase in prostitution due to rise in poverty, especially
among women who turn to this profession as a means of survival and to feed their families
(ECP, 2018). This was further backed up by an assessment done by Fondation Scelles, citing

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reasons such as “economic insecurity”, “little education” and being from a broken home to
be the main reasons why many women step foot into the prostitution industry.

The situation is further exacerbated in less developed regions, where poverty is more
prevalent than ever. In these areas, many women are unable to earn enough to sustain
themselves and their families, causing starvation, homelessness, and poor living conditions
(ECP, 2018). These factors push women to turn to survival sex as a form of income to
provide for their basic necessities, forcing them into prostitution. In addition, another
socioeconomic factor causing these women to be stuck in the poverty cycle would be a lack
of proper education, leading them to be poorly equipped with essential skills and unable to
find alternative forms of employment, which leads to low income and eventually poverty
(American University of Central Asia, 2011).

With poverty being such a prominent issue and some less developed countries struggling to
provide citizens with basic living necessities, the issue prevails as those living in poverty are
unable to receive the basic needs they require to sustain themselves. To lower the number
of those entering prostitution to sustain themselves, access to basic resources must first be
guaranteed, so that their living conditions may improve. This will require large amounts of
funding which the governments of less developed countries are unable to provide, and may
only be a short-term solution. Hence, delegates are strongly encouraged to look into how to
effectively allocate limited resources to support poor citizens so as to prevent them from
being forced into prostitution.

Disproportionate Entry of Women into Prostitution

It is worth noting that while males are also involved in prostitution, more than 80% of
prostitutes in the world are female, ranging between 13 - 25 years old (ProCon.org, 2018).
Therefore, this section focuses mainly on the difficulties and circumstances faced by women
such as gender inequality, single motherhood and abusive relationships that drives them
into working as prostitutes.

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A problem more prominent in less developed countries are patriarchal norms and traditions.
In many African countries, women do not enjoy the same rights as men and are married at a
young age, living their entire lives as housewives and being dependent on their husbands
(The Borgen Project, n.d.). Although more women are being economically engaged in recent
years, they mostly work in the agricultural sector in difficult conditions with low incomes
and remain at the bottom of the socioeconomic strata (IGG-GEO, 2021). Traditional
practices like honor killing and female genital mutilation also illustrate the mistreatment of
women and their low social status in society. With active discrimination against females, it
becomes much more difficult for them to be able to support themselves, incentivising them
to turn to sex work for profit and independence.

Additionally, with traditional values ingrained into a country’s culture, they may not be as
willing to cooperate with gender equality policies and hence making the issue difficult to
resolve. An example of this was when Iran declined to sign the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (NCRI Women Committee, 2016).
As the rights of women have such low importance in these countries, they are more
susceptible to undesirable circumstances and have limited access to help, which causes a
higher number of women to be forced into prostitution, or enter prostitution of their own
volition. It is important for delegates to consider the traditional aspects contributing to
gender discrimination. and how this can affect countries’ willingness to cooperate with
policies when it comes to gender equality.

On a global scale, women and girls also face the pertinent issue of domestic abuse and
sexual assault. These experiences often have lasting impacts on affected individuals, leaving
them in a vulnerable state. On many occasions, domestic abuse involves financial control,
where the abusive partner limits the survivor's access to money or resources. This financial
dependency on their abusers can leave survivors of domestic violence in a vulnerable
position, struggling to meet basic needs such as food and clothing. This not only increases
the chance of being targeted by sex traffickers and pimps, but also causes some victims to
turn to prostitution to escape an abuser (“Prostitution, Domestic Violence, and Sexual

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Assault”, n.d.). These forms of violence against females affect women and girls around the
world, with over 736 million victims globally from both developed and developing countries
(The World Bank, 2022). Many women thus leave the relationship or file a divorce to escape
the mental and physical abuse inflicted on them. However, this often leaves them financially
unstable, especially for single mothers.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, domestic violence is known to be a primary
cause of homelessness for women and families, as women are forced to leave their homes
when they flee from abusive relationships (ACLU, n.d.). With nowhere else to turn, many of
them turn to prostitution as a source of income or simply as a shelter. The many outreach
efforts to increase access to help for these women have proven to be inefficient as the issue
continues to persist. This is because many women are afraid to reach out for help due to
potential threats from their abuser, which can concern their lives or even their children. In
addition, it may be confusing for women to identify domestic abuse early. Most abusive
partners exhibit a behaviour pattern known as a cycle of violence, which involves three
stages: the honeymoon, the tension building and the violent incident. The difficulty in
identifying domestic abuse arises when abusive partners become remorseful after inflicting
violence, beginning the honeymoon stage again (Women Against Abuse, n.d.). With
domestic violence happening behind closed doors, it is hard for protective measures to
reach these women.

Furthermore, domestic violence extends beyond the conventional physical and mental
abuse of women to instances of sexual abuse, towards women and girls alike. In some
traditional societies, sexually assaulted women or women who leave a relationship often
face discrimination and marginalisation, sometimes even from their own parents
(HumAngle, 2020). It is thus challenging for policies protecting women to be made as deep
historical and cultural roots in these countries have shaped the social norms to be biassed
towards males, with some countries even having discriminatory laws against women.

Besides abuse, gender inequality in more developed countries also takes the form of general
power imbalances and biases in the society. While gender inequality has been an issue of

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heated debate for years, there are still basic areas where males are given priorities such as
employment and healthcare. In fact, according to a report by the International Labour
Organisation, gender imbalances with regards to employment have barely improved in the
past two decades (ILO, 2023). The report revealed a jobs gap difference of around 9% and
6% between men and women in low income and lower-middle-income groups respectively
(ILO, 2023). This reflects the difficulties for women in securing a job, especially those who
are already economically disadvantaged. Several factors such as gender discrimination in
hiring practices and women having to assume domestic roles can further contribute to such
a difference. When women are refused alternative employment and are unable to sustain
themselves financially, they are more likely to turn to prostitution.

Women also face discrimination in terms of access to healthcare. In a survey conducted in

Malawi, it was revealed that women are 20% less likely than men to secure
community-sourced healthcare financial aid, and attributed this to adherence to traditional
gender norms (Azad et al., 2021). Limited access to such crucial services makes it difficult for
forced prostituted women to receive the necessary support, worsening their situation and
further trapping them in exploitative situations.

Hence, the lack of support, together with inadequate legal protection, means that women
are often left to fend for themselves, eventually stepping into the prostitution industry.
Given such conditions, delegates are encouraged to look into protective policies for these
women and how reporting such instances can be made easier.

Health of Forced Prostituted Persons

STIs have serious consequences on the health of the infected person, such as increasing the
risk of acquiring HIV, pregnancy complications, cancer, or death (World Health Organization,
2022). Prostitutes are especially susceptible to STIs due to the nature of their work, hence
increasing their chances of being infected (UNAIDS, 2021). In particular, forced prostitution
and sexual violence increases the chances of women being infected by HIV (Wirth et al.
2013), due to increased exposure to unsafe sexual practices such as the non-use of condoms

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(Decker et al., 2010). Forced prostituted persons, therefore, are at greater risk of exposure to
and contraction of STIs, posing dangerous consequences to their health.

Apart from sex trafficking, people who are forced by circumstances into survival sex also
have an increased risk of HIV infection (Becker, 2022). Their dependence on survival sex for
basic necessities and money drives them to continue survival sex despite the lack of
protection from solicitor violence and distrust from officials, like the police (Benner, 2022).
These conditions constrain the agency of forced prostituted persons in using protective
measures, increasing their HIV vulnerability (Benner, 2022). Systemic discrimination against
prostitutes therefore disadvantages them in healthcare and is an issue that must be
resolved, to protect the health of forced prostituted persons.

Access to Protection
Protective measures are an important way to ensure the health of forced prostituted
persons, and a way governments can aid them in protecting their sexual health.
Unfortunately, protective measures are often inaccessible to forced prostituted persons.
This is evident from the fact that prostitutes have inadequate access to healthcare even in
developed and progressive countries like the United Kingdom (Potter et al., 2022).

The most common reason for the lack of access is due to financial barriers, as protective
measures may be expensive and unaffordable for forced prostituted persons. One
frequently used protective measure is pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which is medication
that can greatly reduce the risk of acquiring HIV if taken before encountering a potential
source of transmission (WHO, n.d.). On the other hand, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is
an antiviral drug that can be used after a sexual encounter with high risk of HIV infection
occurs, albeit less effective than PrEP (CDC, 2019). In general, the cost of these drugs is
extremely high for those not covered by subsidies, including many forced prostituted
persons who partake in prostitution illegally. For example, Truvada, a brand of PrEP, can cost
anywhere from US$ 500 - 2000 for a month’s supply globally (Healthline, 2018). If
unsubsidised, the high cost is almost certainly unaffordable for prostitutes, especially for

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forced prostituted persons. Therefore, such preventive measures are often not viable
options for forced prostituted persons, despite these medicines being potentially
life-changing. This poses a huge challenge to the health of forced prostitutes, hence
delegates should seek to reduce financial inaccessibility of such medical aid.

Apart from financial inaccessibility, forced prostitutes in certain areas may not be able to
gain access to preventive measures due to geographic distribution of such medications,
where there is no local supply of these medications. According to UNAIDS (2020),
preventive measures like PrEP remain inaccessible in Asia and the Pacific region. Hence,
delegates should also consider geographical barriers to protective measures and how this
can be overcome.

Education
Even if forced prostituted persons do have access to protective measures, screening for STIs,
and treatment for STDs, they may not actively step forward to use these resources. For
example, according to UNAIDS (2018), only 35% of prostitutes in Pakistan used condoms,
despite the availability of condoms to the general population.

One possible reason is a lack of education, as forced prostituted persons may not be aware
that there are protective measures they should take to ensure their health. One prominent
group who is uneducated would be forced prostituted children, who are trafficked and
exploited into prostitution (United Nations, 2020). Since they are extremely young when
trafficked, it is less likely that they will have an understanding of protective measures that
they should take, and even less likely that they will be able to learn of such protective
measures in an environment where they are forced into prostitution. Apart from this, an
unclear understanding of STIs and STDs would also leave forced prostituted persons with
the mindset that protective measures are unnecessary. For example, despite over a third of
Nigerian prostitutes being HIV-infected, many of them still consider protective measures
unnecessary, due to their beliefs that the contraction of HIV is based on fate and cannot be
prevented, or their tendency to believe that they will not contract HIV (Ankomah et al.,

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2011). Therefore, it is important to address the lack of education and awareness of the risks
of prostitution as it is a key reason why forced prostituted persons do not use protective
measures despite having access to them.

In conclusion, forced prostituted persons are at high risk of contracting STIs which may
further develop into STDs, posing a great threat to their sexual health. This is further
exacerbated by their lack of access to sexual protection which can significantly impact their
health. Therefore, it is crucial for delegates to take into account the financial, geographical
and social reasons behind the lack of use of protective measures, and consider how forced
prostituted persons can be aided to improve their sexual health.

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Key Stakeholders

Less Economically Developed Countries

In general, less economically developed countries house a disproportionate number of
low-income populations, as well as populations with limited access to basic goods and
services. Populations living below the poverty line are denied access to daily necessities such
as food, which pushes them into prostitution as a source of income, rendering them
vulnerable to perpetrators of forced prostitution. Delegates should consider how support
can be provided to vulnerable populations in less economically developed countries, as well
as how opportunities can be created for these vulnerable populations to exit the industry.

Countries that Legalise Prostitution

To ensure that prostitution can be regulated, it is legalised in some countries, with the
establishment of “red light zones” to attract both investors and tourists. While this enables
restrictions to be placed on the industry, and reduces stigma against prostitutes, the
legalisation of prostitution may increase opportunities for forced prostitution. This occurs
because the line between forced and legalised prostitution is blurred, and perpetrators may
be able to exploit loopholes to protect themselves.

Countries with High Levels of Gender Inequality

Countries have gender inequality which exists in one of two forms – they either have few
regulations or measures for the protection of women, or they maintain policies which hinder
women’s empowerment. With poor protection of women, they are hence more susceptible
to be forced into prostitution, due to greater prevalence of domestic abuse and sexual
assault towards women. In an attempt to support themselves after escaping from such
environments and gaining independence, many women may turn to prostitution as a source
of income due to their lack of education and relevant skills for other occupations.

For countries with greater gender inequality, women not only are robbed of the majority of
their education, but also face hiring discrimination in many sectors, further limiting their

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options of alternative employment (World Bank Blogs, 2023). The issue is further
exacerbated by the lack of access to help and support for women in these countries, usually
in the form of limited access to healthcare (BMC Primary Care, 2015). Another issue could be
due to the societal perceptions of women, where women may still be portrayed as objects
or property, and hence exploited for sexual uses (PubMed Central, 2019).

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Potential Solutions

Improving the Quality of Enforcement Measures

Consistent and strict enforcement of regulations helps contribute to their deterrence effect,
as there is a greater risk of being punished for committing a crime. However, it is important
to note that while some countries may have existing laws criminalising forced prostitution
and the coercion of prostitutes against their will, it is sometimes challenging to enforce
these regulations, due to the complex nature of the issue and the size of the industry.

For instance, the People’s Republic of China has declared prostitution illegal, with offenders
being detained and fined (Congressional Executive Commission on China, 2005). However,
the underground sex industry in China is intricately linked to the industries of entire cities.
One such crackdown targeted in Dongguan was estimated to decrease the city’s annual
revenue by 50 billion yuan (US$8 billion), and was expected to slow the businesses of
hotels, shops and restaurants (Keegan, 2018). Given the large-scale nature of the
underground industry, it is important to plan crackdown measures in a manner that is not
explicitly detrimental to economic growth, especially in the long run.

Notably, it may be important to consider monitoring cross-border trafficking and

capacity-building for the detection of forced prostitution, as poor enforcement of these
measures may lead to trafficking and forced prostitution networks being established.
Delegates may also want to consider developing measures for reporting cases of forced
prostitution, and how forced prostituted victims may seek help from authorities.

Destigmatisation
Destigmatisation can play a crucial role in building a supportive and understanding
environment for forced prostituted persons, not only encouraging them to seek help but
also allowing for help to be more accessible to these individuals as it can cause a change in
the mindsets of the public. This comes in the form of public education, where governments
can take the lead in spearheading such initiatives to address the societal stigmas around

24
prostitution. Currently, most of these programmes are pushed forward by
non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who aim to destigmatise sex work through
community outreach, media engagement, and collaborations. For example, in Canada, the
Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers Action Project works with individuals, organisations, schools
and other political causes to expand local knowledge of sex work (“Maggie’s Toronto”, n.d.).
Having the correct understanding of prostitution can reduce the marginalisation of
prostituted individuals and increase social support provided for them, making it easier for
these forced prostitutes to obtain help and break out of the vicious cycle of staying in the
sex work industry. Delegates can consider how the current actions of NGOs can be adopted
or enhanced to impact a greater audience and reduce stigma around prostitution.

Another potential solution delegates can consider is the decriminalisation of sex work.
While the complete decriminalisation of sex work has only been implemented in Belgium
and New Zealand, many other countries such as Norway, Israel and Canada have adopted
Sweden’s model of criminalising buying sex but decriminalising being in prostitution (Max
Waltman, 2015). While the model is shown to have reduced demand for prostitution in
Sweden and Norway, it faced huge resistance from sex workers. This was because the model
not only helped not to protect them, but reduced their income, preventing them from
turning down less desirable clients, forcing them to take more risks at work (SWARM, 2020).

In Amnesty International’s research on protection of sex workers’ rights, they emphasised

that decriminalisation is essential to ensure the rights and well-being of prostitutes, and
that laws should be focused on the safety of prostitutes instead (Amnesty International,
2016). The main objective of such a policy is so that the forced prostituted persons will be
provided a safe space to seek help from the authorities, when they were previously afraid to
do so due to the fear of being penalised by law. However, decriminalisation also risks
countries being more prone to human trafficking and pimping. Hence, it is important for
delegates to consider the balance between prioritising rights of forced prostitution
individuals and regulating the sex industry.

25
Access to Aid
Healthcare and other protective measures should be made accessible to all prostitutes,
including forced prostitutes. Accessible healthcare can and should be provided for
marginalised groups such as forced prostituted persons (Potter et al., 2022). As a vulnerable
group often left unprotected by the law, countries must recognise the circumstances of
forced prostitution and offer a helping hand, such as in the form of healthcare services
(“Prostitution Laws: Health Risks and Hypocrisy”, 2004). However, delegates should consider
if this will be effective in increasing forced prostitutes’ access to protective measures, given
that forced prostitutes have an additional barrier to receiving aid due to their illegal nature
and the control of traffickers or pimps.

In addition, prostitutes should be rendered help to escape forced prostitution. Training

healthcare professionals to identify and take appropriate measures when a patient may be
undergoing forced prostitution due to their circumstances can go a long way in helping
them (Morris, 2022). By empowering healthcare workers to provide aid to forced prostituted
persons, they can provide suitable recommendations to improve their sexual health
(Improving Awareness of and Screening for Health Risks”, 2017) or even break the cycle of
forced prostitution by reporting illegal activity, reducing the instances of forced prostitution.

Furthermore, assistance and social aid should be provided to persons with high risk of being
forced into prostitution, especially those who have previously been forced into prostitution.
The poor and vulnerable must be able to avoid falling back into a vicious cycle where
prostitution is their only source of livelihood. Delegates should consider how proper
infrastructure can be established to ensure that the vulnerable are aware of other avenues
to earn a living, and what assistance is available to prevent them from falling into forced
prostitution. Delegates should note that this is not a cue to solve global poverty, but rather
ensuring that the vulnerable have and are aware of avenues to seek help.

Despite the increasing recognition of the problems of prostitution, access to aid has not
increased significantly, with forced prostituted persons still having many unmet healthcare
needs, and finding it difficult to access healthcare (Mastrocola et al., 2015). In practice, it is

26
difficult to provide aid that is actually useful to forced prostituted persons, and ensure that
forced prostituted persons can access the aid intended to help them. Therefore, delegates
should discuss how access to aid can be effectively provided to forced prostituted persons,
to reduce their plight.

27
Questions a Resolution Must Answer (QARMA)
1. What can countries do to counter the involuntary entry of prostitutes into the
industry?
2. How can countries ensure that citizens are not forced into prostitution by their poor
socioeconomic circumstances? Are there mechanisms for resources to be allocated to
citizens to reduce their voluntary entry into the industry?
3. How can countries protect women such that they are not forced into prostitution?
Would these measures be effective in societies that have traditional societal norms?
What alternative mechanisms are there for the empowerment of women in these
countries?
4. To what extent should countries reduce the stigma against prostituted persons?
5. How can women and children be empowered to keep them out of prostitution?
6. How can countries protect the health of forced prostituted persons, and how can
healthcare resources be made more available to forced prostituted persons?

28
Conclusion
To conclude, forced prostitution poses a serious obstacle to global development, and it
should be in every country’s interest to eradicate all forms of forced prostitution as much as
possible. This includes illicit human trafficking and circumstantial forced prostitution, as well
as ensuring the health and wellbeing of forced prostituted persons. It is crucial for forced
prostitution to be reduced as much as possible to reduce the human rights violations, health
endangerment, and loss of dignity that forced prostituted persons face against their will.
Given the stigma behind prostitution and lack of understanding of the plight of forced
prostituted persons, this is a complex issue and will require delegates to be sensitive and
innovative when coming up with solutions. Delegates must consider how to cooperate with
other countries to come up with solutions that seek to reduce forced prostitution globally,
for the betterment of society.

29
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