HIV/AIDS Programme in the World of Work in Indonesia

The programme aims to strengthen the capacity of tripartite organizations and related stakeholders in responding HIV/AIDS programme at the workplace by promoting the Recommendation. concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, 2010 (No. 200).

Programme Background

UNAIDS estimated 37.9 million people globally are living with HIV. Most of them are in the productive age of 15-49 years. In Indonesia, there were an estimated 640,443 persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in Indonesia with 49.000-50.000 new HIV infection cases in 2019. Ministry of Health reported 377.564 cases in 2019 and 86.5 percent of the cases are the productive ages. HIV/AIDS epidemic in Indonesia has been going on since 1987 and Indonesia is categorised as low concentrated epidemic among key population. However, HIV cases in Indonesia is now the fastest growing in Asia with the increasing number of HIV transmission among heterosexual. This epidemic has spread throughout Indonesia and reported from 34 provinces and 308 (61 percent) of 504 districts/cities.

HIV/AIDS is Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome that caused by HIV virus. This is the disease with significant stigma and discrimination when the people still have limited understanding on HIV/AIDS. Perceived or real persons living with HIV mostly experience stigma and discrimination that affect to get unequal rights on opportunity to employment (work or continue working). Limited HIV/AIDS knowledge lead to insufficient understanding on HIV spread and prevention that affects to stigma and discrimination. Stigma and discrimination affect to the fears of people living with HIV on the disclosure of HIV status at workplace. It can lead less motivation to access on better treatment and maintain the health and productivity.

Uncontrolled HIV epidemics can pose a real threat to the workforce in Indonesia and potentially nullify the golden opportunity for demographic bonuses in 2030. Therefore, the Indonesian government committed to overcome HIV/AIDS epidemic by targeting the achievement of 3 Zeros (Zero new HIV infection, Zero Stigma and Discrimination, Zero Death related to AIDS) by promoting HIV/AIDS prevention Programme and treat named STOP Programme (Educate, Test, Treat and Maintain). HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at the workplace is a strategic approach to protect productive ages from new HIV infection and promote the access to health service in ensuring the workers living with HIV can know the status and access HIV treatment earlier. Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment provision is provided by the government and it can be accessed by workers living with HIV through the health clinics, so they can maintain health and productivity.

The ILO has developed a Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, 2010 (No. 200). The ILO Recommendation No. 200 is the first international labour standard on HIV and AIDS and provides a solid foundation for the development of effective and gender responsive workplace policies and programme on HIV and AIDS. Indonesia is one of country who actively involves in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at workplace.

The Ministry of Manpower has actively participated to contribute on tackling the epidemic through 68/2004 Manpower Ministerial Decree concerning on Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS at the Workplace. The ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS at Workplace promote the Recommendation ILO No. 200 and provide technical assistances for tripartite organizations to strengthen the capacity on responding HIV issues at workplace, and promote good practices of enterprises that implemented HIV/AIDS prevention at workplace to increase the number of enterprises implement HIV/AIDS prevention Programme, therefore, more number of workforce protected from newly HIV infection and people living with HIV at workplace can stay fit to work.

The ILO identified the priority of HIV/AIDS prevention Programme to reach out high risk men at vulnerable and high-risk sectors as priority on HIV prevention. Promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and knowledge, developing non-discriminatory policies, capacity building and providing the accessible HIV/AIDS services at the workplace will fill the gaps on HIV/AIDS awareness and reduce stigma and discrimination at workplaces. These are affecting workers’ health and productivity and ensuring the certainty of equal rights at workplace and improve the labour compliance and the enterprises’ competitiveness.

Objectives

The ILO’s HIV/AIDS Programme in the World of Work aims to:

  1. Raise the awareness on HIV/AIDS related issues in the World of Work
  2. Strengthen the capacity of tripartite organizations and related stakeholders in responding HIV/AIDS programme at the workplace by promoting the Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, 2010 (No. 200).
  3. Improve the access of HIV/AIDS services available at workplace and promote non-stigma and non-discriminatory policies at workplace to ensure the real or perceived workers living with HIV treated with concerning the equal rights and opportunity to work and/or continued to work

Programme Strategy

Strengthening the Capacity Building on HIV/AIDS sensitive at Workplace

Strengthen the capacity of Ministry of Manpower, National Employer’s Association, Trade Union Organizations, plus NGOs working on HIV/AIDS to develop HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at workplace. The design of the capacity building content will be role based-oriented and include training or trainers, peer-educator skills development, training for labour inspectors, the integration of HIV/AIDS into Occupational Safety and Health and the development of strategic Programme, action plan within the organization.

Promoting Non-Stigma and Discriminatory Policies related to HIV/AIDS

Facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness prevention Programme at workplace through several activities such as seminar, media campaign development (information, education and communication materials). Provide technical assistance for prioritized sectors and companies for developing non-discriminatory policies, document the good practices of enterprises that implement HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at the Workplace, engage with the media and involve people living with HIV community and NGOs working with HIV/AIDS in all related HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at the Wworkplace.

Extending HIV/AIDS services at workplace and equal access for vulnerable groups to employment

Facilitate HIV/AIDS services at workplace by providing Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) at Workplace. ILO encourages companies to take a lead on the role model in taking action of the involvement to prevent new HIV infections among their employees by protecting the employees with education and supportive policy, piloting the enterprises and union organizations in promoting “Know Your Status”, providing the access of HIV treatment and support for workers living with HIV available at workplace. It includes the establishment partnership among enterprises, union organizations, local government offices, Provincial/District Aids Commission, public health services and people living with HIV community and NGOs working on HIV/AIDS. It also include the access of the vulnerable groups such as people living with HIV and key affected population to get equal access to employment.

Improving the coordination and partnership among stakeholders on the progress, evidence based-data and advocacy

Provide studies and reviews related to HIV/AIDS at workplace issues and social protection among people living with HIV, share the findings and programme reviews with related stakeholders and the Ministry of Health. Facilitate the tripartite workplace-working group on HIV to monitor the progress of HIV/AIDS prevention Programme at the Workplace.

Key partners

  • Ministry of Manpower
  • Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo)
  • Confederation trade unions
  • Private sector
  • People living with HIV communities and NGOs working for HIV/AIDS