HIV/AIDS Prevention in the World of Work: A Tripartite Response

Background

Global estimates at the end of 2003 show some 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS. The estimates that at least 26 million workers in the prime labour force (aged 15-49 years) are living with HIV/AIDS. This amounts to three-quarters of the working population being infected with HIV/AIDS. At the end of 2003, India had an estimated 5.1 million People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The maximum number of infections (90 per cent) has been reported from the most productive 15 - 49 years' age group. HIV/AIDS, therefore, has emerged as a major threat tot he world of work. This highlights the need for immediate efforts to protect some 400 million workers in India from the deadly virus. The main challenge is to reach out to the more vulnerable informal sector labour, which forms more than 90 per cent of the total workforce in India.

Objectives

The ILO, in consultation with its India tripartite constituents and the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), has developed a three-phase programme aimed at establishing a sustainable national action plan on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support, in the world of work with the objective to prevent HIV/AIDS in the world of work, enhance workplace protection, and reduce tis adverse consequences on social, labour, and economic development.

Strategy

• Collaboration with Ministry of Labour and Employment and its key institutions, NACO, employers' and workers' organizations, UNAIDS and PLWHA;
• Advocacy for an improved policy/legislative frameowrk using the ILO Code of Practice;
• Provision of technical support to partners to strengthen their response capacity for developing and implementing an expanded world of work response to HIV/AIDS;
• Develop and demonstrate an expanded world of work response to HIV/AIDS in selected States and facilitate closer collaboration between partner enterprises and SACS;
• Research based advocacy, including documentation of corporate responses to HIV/AIDS, compilation and dissemination of existing research studies on HIV/AIDS in the world of work, and initiation of action research projects; and
• Collaboration with PWLHA networks.

Further reading

• An ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work (pdf - 227 kb)
• The Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS : Employment and Labour Market Implications (pdf - 6256 kb)
• ILO's Tripartite Action on HIV/AIDS in India (pdf - 133 kb)
• ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work :Questions and Answers (pdf - 100kb)
• HIV/AIDS and Fundamental Rights at Work (pdf - 4.34 mb)
• Statement by Mr. Juan Somavia, Director-General, ILO : Review of the problem of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired imunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in all its respects (pdf - 69 kb)