Under the HIV/AIDS initiative, USDOL works to reduce the rate of HIV/AID infection through
workplace-based prevention and education programs and to improve the workplace environment for
workers living with HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS projects attempt to break through the fear, social stigmatization and workplace
discrimination workers commonly experience. These factors inhibit traditional prevention and
education efforts to reduce the rate of infection.
These projects combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the workplace using a variety of innovative
strategies:
- HIV/AIDS projects enable the development of comprehensive workplace-based
prevention and education programs, which address behavior change, gender issues, and
linkages with care and support services.
- Projects assist governments, employers, and trade unions in the development and
dissemination of national workplace policy statements to address issues
stemming from the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.
- HIV/AIDS projects support the formation of tripartite advisory committees;
organize workshops to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders; and generate
support from employees, employers, and host governments to plan and commit
future resources to sustain the program.
- These projects facilitate the formation of steering committees at private sector
work sites.
- They assess the impact of HIV/AIDS on productivity in the workplace
and identify best practices or lessons learned for use in future projects.
- HIV/AIDS projects support the development and testing of innovative communication
approaches and materials.
An example of an HIV/AIDS project activity includes:
- Workplace Education and Prevention: Training HIV/AIDS educators and
peer counselors at the worksites of the largest employers in Malawi, Haiti, India, Vietnam,
Ukraine, Nigeria and the Dominican Republic to break down barriers inhibiting the discussion of
HIV/AIDS in the workplace.
| |
|