ILO Online: What is the ILO’s involvement in this Conference?

Assane Diop: At ICASA 2008 in Dakar, we hope to share our experience and engage in dialogue with those involved in combating HIV/AIDS in Africa. The ILO Code of practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work was adopted by the Governing Body in 2001. It establishes ten key principles and a framework for combating HIV/AIDS in the world of work. More than seven years after the adoption of the Code, which has been translated into 63 languages, it has been implemented in more than 1,000 workplaces worldwide, with the help of our technical cooperation. The ILO and its constituents have worked hard and learned a great deal. It is a subject that is particularly close to my heart. As the former Minister of Health and Minister of Labour of Senegal, and as a current Executive Director of the ILO, I believe that the world of work should be at the heart of these concerns and at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS, not as a problem but as a solution.

ILO Online: The links between HIV/AIDS and work have been acknowledged, but what is the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work in Africa today?

Assane Diop: Millions of people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world are of working age. According to UNAIDS estimates in 2008, more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of the 32.9 million people living with HIV worldwide live in sub-Saharan Africa. These people are in the most productive period of their lives, but also the period in which they are most exposed to and affected by HIV. This situation has serious implications for the objective of decent work for all, the driving theme of our Organization. One obstacle to the attainment of the goal of decent work is the discrimination faced by people living with HIV. These individuals increasingly have access to antiretrovirals and are therefore able to work. Nevertheless, they are sometimes subject to discrimination at the hiring stage, or to unfair dismissal later on. This means that children whose parents are living with HIV or die of AIDS are often forced to work and break off their studies in order to provide for themselves and their families. For all these reasons, the ILO has joined the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and has become one of its cosponsor organizations.

ILO Online: Do you believe that the current recession will have repercussions on HIV-related issues in Africa?

Assane Diop: The aftermath of the financial crisis is already affecting many of the poorest families and those on middle incomes throughout the world. The economic downturn is especially worrying in view of its long-term impact on the employment of young people in Africa. Precarious work and difficult social conditions encourage behaviours that put individuals at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. What is more, some individuals living with HIV may find themselves without access to antiretrovirals if they lose their jobs and income.

ILO Online: What are the future challenges facing the ILO in its response to HIV/AIDS in the world of work?

Assane Diop: The International Labour Conference in June 2009 will be a major event and will discuss a new international labour standard on HIV/AIDS. A report on the current state of legislation, policies and programmes in the area of HIV/AIDS has been produced. Wide-ranging consultations have been organized. The Conference will hold a first tripartite discussion on this new international standard, which will take the form of a Recommendation that will aim to broaden and enhance the response to HIV/AIDS in the world of work. The Recommendation should be adopted following a second discussion in June 2010. Although ILO Recommendations are not legally binding, member States are required to submit reports on their application. This enables the ILO to have at its disposal a large database on the treatment of issues relating to HIV/AIDS in the world of work. The ILO is organizing a satellite session under the auspices of ICASA in order to explain the process of adopting the Recommendation and to facilitate an exchange of views and information. The ILO is also organizing other satellite sessions on key topics for Africa and the response to HIV, including migration of health sector workers, preventive use of antiretrovirals following exposure to HIV in the course of work, and the impact of HIV on public sector workers.