German prostitutes get new rights

The German parliament has approved a new law improving the position of prostitutes.

It gives them many of the rights enjoyed by other workers and removes some of the penalties linked to prostitution.

Under the law prostitutes will be entitled to pensions, and health and unemployment insurance.

It also decriminalises encouragement to prostitution.

The law was passed with a large majority, with only the Christian Democratic parties voting against it.

Correspondents estimate some 400,000 people work as prostitutes in Germany.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service