A meeting of PONGHO members has agreed that recommendations regarding the
impending Review of sex worker services in Queensland be made to Communicable
Diseases Branch of Queensland Health.
The PONGHO recommendations are:
1. A reference group, including sex worker representatives, be established to
oversee the process of the Review, eg. to compile Terms of Reference for the
Review, and for ongoing oversight of the Review process.
2. The Review be undertaken by consultants who have experience in working
with sex workers
3. The Review should include input from a broad diversity of sex workers
through a range of mechanisms, including existing sex worker groups.
4. Sex workers and sex worker organisations need to provide input to the
Review. With input also sought from NGO’s and other stakeholders currently
providing services to this target population.
5. The Review process should recognise HIV, hepatitis C and Sexually
Transmitted Infections in the broader social determinants of health, and via the
creation of an enabling environment.
6. The Review should recognise the whole-of-government approach of the
Queensland HIV, hepatitis C and STI strategy. Thus, the Review will identify
key areas of future attention by Departments other than Queensland Health,
and areas of funding other than CDB allocations.
7. The Review report should include the methodology used, execution and
outcomes of the Review, and recommendations made as a result of the
Review, and be made available to key stakeholders.
These recommendations were communicated to Queensland Health 26th July 2007
