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May 15, 2009, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan – Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, held a round table meeting on Rights and Challenges of Women and Children Living with HIV in the National cultural center “Kazan”.
The International Labour Organization was represented by Elena Kudriavtseva and Anastassia Danilina of the ILO Moscow Office. Elena Kudriavtseva, Subregional Focal Point on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, presented a review of the Russian labour legislation and its compliance with international standards, as well as the observance of the rights of people living with HIV. Special emphasis was made on non-discrimination of HIV-positive workers, voluntary HIV testing (non-admission of screening in recruitment process), procedures for continuation of employment relationship and the role of social partnership in HIV prevention.
Among the participants were high-level officials - Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Minister of Culture Zilya Valeeva, Human Rights Ombudsman for Tatarstan Rashit Vagizov, as well as representatives of other ministries, institutions of local NGOs and mass media, interested in the HIV/AIDS problem.
The roundtable was organized on the eve of International Candlelight Memorial Day (17 May) and the launch of “Stars Against AIDS” photo exhibition of Serge Golovatch, renowned photographer. The exhibition included photo portraits of 25 famous Russian women who are concerned about the HIV/AIDS problem – Diana Gurtzkaya, Tatiana Mitkova, Svetlana Khorkina, Marina Aleksandrova, Maria Arbatova and others.
In Kazan, the ILO representatives had a number of meetings with the social partners in the region. They discussed prospects for cooperation with the Republic of Tatarstan on the issue of HIV/AIDS prevention at workplace, in particular in the realization of the ILO project “Reducing stigma and discrimination and promoting tolerance through HIV/AIDS awareness raising campaigns”.
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