HIV/AIDS
in sectoral workplaces
| A
sectoral approach to HIV/AIDS in the workplace |
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The pandemic continues...
The ILO estimates that nearly 24.5 million labour force participants worldwide aged 15-64 were living with AIDS or HIV in 2005. Another 12 million are engaged in at least one form of productive activity.1 The impact is heaviest in Africa (67% of infected persons) but is spreading fast in Asia, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. Globally 41% of labour force participants living with HIV are women.
…has high human and economic costs…
Average life expectancy has declined in the worst hit areas, by nearly half in some African countries. Child labour has gone up and loss of income and larger numbers of impoverished families have increased poverty levels. Formal sector businesses and the informal economy have suffered as skill levels decline and children leave school for work. Overall economic development is decreasing – the economic growth rate has declined by nearly 0.5 to % in the last decade in 43 measurable countries.
...and affects most economic and social sectors.
Each infected person works in an agricultural, industrial or service sector. To address the impact of HIV/AIDS in various sectors since 2004 the ILO has implemented an innovative new programme: A sectoral approach
to HIV/AIDS at the workplace. Working with ILO/AIDS and using the ILO
Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS in the world of work and accompanying Education
and Training Manual, the programme has worked on strengthening capacity to address sector-specific issues of HIV/AIDS through specific tools – guidelines, workplace policies and training toolkits. Through 2007, five sectors have published or developed plans for specific tools: Construction, Education, Health services, Mining and Transport.
1HIV/AIDS
and work: Global estimates, impact on children and youth and responses, 2006, Geneva, ILO, 2006.
Additional links to information on HIV/AIDS
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