THE ILO and HIV/AIDS

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THE ILO and HIV/AIDS
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OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

• HIV/AIDS and the World of Work
• The ILO Global Programme on HIV/AIDS and the
  world of work
• ILO code of practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of
  work
• Implementing the ILO code of practice on HIV/AIDS
  and the world of work
• Technical cooperation Field activities
• Collaboration with other UN agencies

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1. IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS ON LABOUR AND SOCIAL
PROGRESS

• Effects of HIV/AIDS on labour
• A mass killer affecting the most segment of the
  labour force,
• Reduces productivity and output level in all
  sectors,
• Discrimination and stigma aimed at PLWA at the
  workplace,
• Exacerbates the problem of child labour and
  poverty,
• Increases gender inequality,
• Overtaxes the social systems ,
• Undermines private sector and enterprise
  development,
• Stifles economic development.

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2. HIV/AIDS A THREAT TO DECENT WORK AND ILO
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Threat to the primary goal of ILO
• To provide opportunities for women and men to
  obtain
• decent and productive work in conditions of
  freedom,
• equity security and human dignity 

• Threat to ILO s legitimate and essential
  concerns in
• each of the strategic objectives of the
  Organization
• Workers' rights
• Employment promotion
• Social protection
• Social dialogue

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3. HIV/AIDS AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AT WORK

• AIDS affect fundamental rights at work and in
  society as
• a whole. Discrimination on the basis of
  HIVAIDS
• worsens existing inequalities in society.

• AIDS-related discrimination may include
  screening for
• purposes of exclusion from work or promotion
  or
• breaches of confidentialities.

• The fundamental rights of nondiscrimination is
  a
• core principle of the ILO which can be used
  to protect
• the rights and dignity of workers and their
  families
• from violation based on their known or
  presumed HIV
• status.

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4. THE ILO RESPONSE AND COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES

• ILO promotes a right-based approach to combat the
  impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work.
• The rights of nondiscrimination lies at the
  heart of the concern of ILO for the abuse of
  human rights in the area of HIV/AIDS.
• 3. ILOs comparative advantages
• Tripartite structure
• Technical cooperation
• ILOs global network of fields offices and MDTs
• Social dialogue

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II. ILO GLOBAL PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS AND THE
WORLD OF WORK
Respond to the ILC Resolution concerning HIVAIDS
and the world of work ( 88th session , June 2000)

• MAIN OBJECTIVES
• To help member States combat the spread and
  threat of HIV/AIDS
• through workplace initiatives cope with the
  social and economic
• consequences of the pandemic provide protection
  and support to
• workers and their families infected and affected
  by HIV/AIDS

• DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE
• To strengthen the capacity of ILOs tripartite
  constituents to
• implement policies and programmes to prevent
  the spread of
• HIV/AIDS, protect the rights of affected
  workers, and mitigate the
• impact of the epidemic on the world of work.

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• PRIORITY AREAS

• Mobilizing and strengthening the capacity of
  social
• partners to design and implement workplace
  policies
• and programmes on HIV/AIDS

• Advise governments on reform of labour laws to
  
• address HIV/AIDS and on integrating the
  workplace
• component in national AIDS plan (Support to
  National
• Strategic Plan)

• Awareness raising and advocacy
• Research into social, economic and labour impact
  
• of HIV/AIDS .

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III. ILO CODE OF PRACTICE ON HIV/AIDS AND THE
WORLD OF WORK

• Launched formally at the UNGASS, New-York, June
  2001
• Is a tool to implement the UNGASS Declaration of
  Commitment for
• the development and implementation of
  national HIV/AIDS policies
• at the workplace (sections 49 and 69)

• Promotes a rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS,
  and establishes
• principles and international guidelines for
  HIV/AIDS policies and
• programmes in the world of work

• Addresses the following areas
• - Prevention through information, education and
  training
• - Protection of worker's rights
• - Care and support for workers

• Has been translated into 20 languages in
  responses to local demand

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IV. IMPLEMENTING THE ILO CODE OF PRACTICE
1. Rights at work

• Fundamental Human rights- equality (gender,
  vulnerable groups, e.g. Migrants)
• Workplace policy and programme
• Reform of labour legislation.

2. Capacity building

• Strategic planning
• OSH- labour protection-Social security
• Decent work employment objective- LM, Mobility
• Database indicators for monitoring employment
  and
• labour market implications
• Sectors transport, tourism, health, informal
  work.

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3. Mobilizing social partners
Promote ILO Code of Practice

• Tripartism- MOLs, Employers and Workers'
• organizations

• Political mobilisation-leadership public support

• Advocacy

• Consensus building

Partnerships Private sectors, NGOs, UNAIDS
Cosponsors and other UN agencies.
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V. TECHNICAL COOPERATION FIELD ACTIVITIES

• Presentation of the ILO Code of Practice at the
• country level

• Fact-finding missions and status assessment
  studies

• Advisory services to governments on integrating
• HIV/AIDS into labour legislation

• Projects with social partners and workplace
• programmes (Transport and informal sectors)

• Micro and small enterprise project

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V. TECHNICAL COOPERATION FIELD
ACTIVITIES (continued)

• Identification of best practice initiatives at
  the
• workplace

• Study tour of tripartite delegations from Russia
  and
• Azerbaijan to Brazil

• National tripartite workshops on HIV/AIDS and
  the
• world of work

• Sub-regional workshops of employers

• Training for labour inspectors

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VI. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER UN AGENCIES

• Cosponsor of UNAIDS

• Convening Agency for HIV/AIDS and the world of
  work

• Convenor of the IATT on HIV/AIDS and the world
  of work

• Member of the IATT on
• - Country Level Response on HIV/AIDS
• - Gender and HIV/AIDS
• - Young People and HIV/AIDS
• - Education
• - HIV/AIDS Care and Support
• - Orphans and other Vulnerable Children
• - HIV/AIDS and Children in Situation of
  Conflict

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VI. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER UN
AGENCIES (continued)

• Joint project with UNIFEM on the Care economy,
• HIV/AIDS and the world of work
• PAF funded projects in Madagascar, Ethiopia and
• South Africa.

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THANK YOU