Duration: 2004-2007
In September 2004, the HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Program - a three-year project
supported by the US Department of Labor and implemented jointly by the ILO, the Russian Ministry
of Health and Social Development, and social partners - was launched in the Russian Federation.
The project aims to contribute to the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the world of work, the enhancement
of workplace protection and the reduction of its adverse consequences on social, labor and economic development.
"Workers need to have the necessary knowledge to make the right choices and avoid infection.
Workers must also feel confident that they will not face discrimination in the workplace when they undergo an HIV test.
Voluntary testing represents a vital link in any HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, but workers will not want to take a
voluntary test unless they know they can keep their job and, if necessary, get treatment"
(an extract from
the statement at the project launch by the United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation Alexander R. Vershbow)
The main goal of the project is to assist in the development of national policies and programs aimed at:
- motivating workers to change their behavior in order to decrease the risk of HIV/AIDS;
- reducing the level of employment-related discrimination against persons living with HIV;
- providing the ILO's tripartite constituents, pilot enterprises, employees and their family members
with complete and accurate information about HIV/AIDS prevention.
The federal-level tripartite constituents are aware of the serious threat posed by the HIV/AIDS epidemic,
in particular, for the world of work. They have developed a shared understanding of the need for addressing
this problem jointly.
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Mr. Sergey Koshman, Deputy Chair of the Government of the Moscow region and Chair of the Rgional Project Advisory Board, presents the
certificate of participation in the project to Ms. Anna Savtchenko, HIV/AIDS Focal Point at the Ministry of Consumer Market of the Moscow region,
which is one of the pilot enterprises of the project (November 28, 2006). |
The Moscow region and the Murmansk region were selected to be the pilot regions of the project.
There regions are at a high risk of HIV spread into the workforce, and at the same time, they have
active social dialogue structures in place with high involvement of the regional government, unions and employers.
Yurii Savakov, Deputy Director of the Murmansk Oblast Trade Union Council: "To us, it is perfectly obvious
that HIV-positive workers frequently experience different forms of discrimination, both from company management
and from their co-workers. Compulsory testing of employees should be banned altogether, and voluntary testing
should be encouraged. If it should become known that a worker is living with HIV/AIDS, it is everyone's task to help him.
There should be no discrimination at all".
Baseline surveys were implemented in the pilot regions to determine the level of knowledge in the target groups
(employees of pilot enterprises in transportation, metallurgy, commerce, and other industries) about HIV/AIDS,
key behavioral risks and preferred information and communication channels.
All partners are actively involved in the project implementation. At the federal level, the Russian Ministry
of Health and Social Development, through its Department of Labor Relations and Civil Service, supports the development
of a framework concept for the national policy on HIV/AIDS and the workplace. The Coordinating Council of the Employers
Unions of Russia, a key partner of the project, disseminates information on HIV/AIDS through its website, and organizes
guest speaker presentations on the issue at its business seminars. Leaders of the country's major trade unions also express
their commitment to an effective HIV/AIDS response. They see their role as education and training of union activists,
raising awareness and building knowledge in the workplace.
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Ms. Elena Bordova of the Murmansk Sea Trade Port presents the results of the group work at the training on
Communication Skills Development for Peer Educators, April 19, 2006. |
The project has participated in the development of national policy on HIV/AIDS workplace issues.
Specific clauses on HIV/AIDS world of work dimension were included in the Tripartite Agreements of the Moscow (October 2005)
and Murmansk regions (December 2005). The tripartite agreements are setting the stage for action for the regional governments,
employers' organizations and unions for the 2006-2007 biennium. Both regions are now considering including similar statements
in sectoral collective agreements, which are of greater influence over the enterprises in any given sector of economy.
A Declaration of National Agreement of Tripartite Partners on HIV/AIDS and the
World of Work was adopted on December 19, 2005.
The Declaration states the commitment of the social partners to HIV/AIDS prevention and education for workers and
non-discrimination of workers based on their HIV status.
This political commitment was followed by practical steps by the Ministry aimed at promoting HIV/AIDS workplace issues
through social dialogue mechanisms in all the subjects of the Russian Federation. A directive was sent by the Minister
of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, Mr. Mikhail Zurabov, to all 88 regional authorities on
January 16, 2006, requesting that the issues in the national Declaration be considered and appropriate action be taken by the
Tripartite Commission on the Regulation of Social and Labour Relations under each authority (see Annex 4).
The directive was followed on February 15 with a letter to each of the 88 authorities providing 3 copies of the ILO Code so
that it could be taken into account in the process (see Annex 5).
Also, at the recommendation of the Expert Group and in order to expand on the issue in greater detail
and better inform the policy making, a policy paper on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work was prepared for submission
to the working group of the Russian Tripartite Commission. Prior to submission, it was commented by the representatives
of the employers, unions, government and NGOs. The paper presents recommendations and a possible platform of action for
the federal government, regional governments, employers and unions.
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Staff of the Murmansk region HIV/AIDS Prevention Center (Ms. Natalia Egorova, Ms. Yaroslava Streltsova and Mr. Vladimir Kochnev) discuss communication skills which are needed to stimulate workplace discussions of HIV/AIDS issues. |
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