ILO Hosts Privates Sector High Level Meeting
The HIV pandemic has become one of the most critical workplace issues of our time. In addition to its devastating impact on working women and men and their families and dependents, HIV affects the world of work in many ways.
10 August 2023
Tanzania (ILO News) International Labour Organization reiterate its role as a rights-based organization that ensures social justice for all, it is from this important role that the ILO continue to collaborate with the governments, workers’ and employers’ organization, UN agencies, development partners and other stakeholders in the support services for prevention, treatment, care and support for HIV and AIDS, with a focus on workplaces.
The HIV pandemic has become one of the most critical workplace issues of our time. In addition to its devastating impact on working women and men and their families and dependents, HIV affects the world of work in many ways. Stigma and discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS threatens fundamental rights at work, undermining opportunities for people to obtain decent work and sustainable employment.
The epidemic and its impact strike hardest at vulnerable groups including women and children, thereby increasing existing gender inequalities, and exacerbating the problem of child labour.
The International Labour Organization for the United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi held a high level private sector meeting on the 9th August 2023 followed by Peer Educators training programme on the 9th to 11th August 2023 in the United Republic of Tanzania with its Tripartite constituents, Prime Minister’s Office -Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with disabilities (PMO-LYED), Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) and Tanzania Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA). The theme for the High-Level Meeting is “AIDS is an Unfinished Business” While the theme for the training is Workplace Peer Education is Key for Sustainability of HIV/Wellness Programs! Time to Act! for The high level meeting will be attended by over Seventy (70) participants from different private sectors in Tanzania while the peer educators training is attended by 35 participants from selected companies which implemented ILO VCT@Work initiative and HIV Self Testing at workplaces (HIVST).
This theme is a wakeup call for all private sector and employers to invest in HIV and Wellness Peer Education program as the key towards sustainable response particularly in the world of work the ILO continues to strengthen its support and capacity building implementation and support programmes on the HIV & AIDS, in collaboration with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, its social partners, UN sister agencies (UNAIDS) and development partners in implementation of HIV & AIDS programmes.
The objective of the Peer Educators training programme is to provide knowledge and skills on HIV and AIDS including on HIVST to organizations and individuals who in turn could contribute effectively towards the knowledge sharing at workplace and in the community at large as well as support HIV ST at workplaces towards closing the testing gap among men in Tanzania.
The Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) has continued to support its private sector members in establishment and implementation of workplace and wellness programs. From 2021 ATE with the support from Population Services International (PSI) and in collaboration with TUCTA and Health providers from different leading health facilities managed to conduct batch of mass HIVST activation events among peer educators and workers at implementing workplaces.
Speaking on behalf of the Country Director i.e for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, Mr. Edmund Moshy, ILO Country Office Senior Programme officer advocated for a forward-looking approach to close the existing gaps, and ensure health equity, adequate protection, equal opportunities and treatment for all. An approach that is human-centred that integrates care, and treatment, focusesing on ending new HIV infections, ensuring quality of life and well-being of people/workers living with HIV and AIDS. He further stated that, as we focus on finishing the unfinished business, ILO continues to explore on more sustainable funding opportunities and strategies to continue our HIV and AIDS support programmes for constituents, other implementing partners and stakeholders. This includes integrating and mainstreaming HIV and AIDs in the other ILO work such as social protection, international labour standards, domestic and care work, skills development and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work programs (FPRW).
The facilitators for the training session includes Afsar, Syed Mohammad - ILO Sr. Technical Specialist from ILO Geneva - GEDI Branch assisted by Ms. Getrude Sima, National HIV and AIDS Coordinator, ILO Tanzania. Other facilitators will be from Ministry of Health – National AIDS Control Program – NACP), National Council of People Living with HIV and AIDS (NACOPHA) and Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS). The training will be attended by ILO Officials from Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda as part of sharing experiences and knowledge on private sector engagement. All training proceedings will be conducted in English. The trainings will be organised and coordinated by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) in collaboration with Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) and ILO.
The international Labour Organization continue to pledge our support to the government and social partners - ATE and TUCTA in promoting social justice and decent work for all including vulnerable groups not limited to PLHIV, but also PWDs, migrant labour, women, and youth.
The HIV pandemic has become one of the most critical workplace issues of our time. In addition to its devastating impact on working women and men and their families and dependents, HIV affects the world of work in many ways. Stigma and discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS threatens fundamental rights at work, undermining opportunities for people to obtain decent work and sustainable employment.
The epidemic and its impact strike hardest at vulnerable groups including women and children, thereby increasing existing gender inequalities, and exacerbating the problem of child labour.
The International Labour Organization for the United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi held a high level private sector meeting on the 9th August 2023 followed by Peer Educators training programme on the 9th to 11th August 2023 in the United Republic of Tanzania with its Tripartite constituents, Prime Minister’s Office -Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with disabilities (PMO-LYED), Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) and Tanzania Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA). The theme for the High-Level Meeting is “AIDS is an Unfinished Business” While the theme for the training is Workplace Peer Education is Key for Sustainability of HIV/Wellness Programs! Time to Act! for The high level meeting will be attended by over Seventy (70) participants from different private sectors in Tanzania while the peer educators training is attended by 35 participants from selected companies which implemented ILO VCT@Work initiative and HIV Self Testing at workplaces (HIVST).
This theme is a wakeup call for all private sector and employers to invest in HIV and Wellness Peer Education program as the key towards sustainable response particularly in the world of work the ILO continues to strengthen its support and capacity building implementation and support programmes on the HIV & AIDS, in collaboration with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, its social partners, UN sister agencies (UNAIDS) and development partners in implementation of HIV & AIDS programmes.
The objective of the Peer Educators training programme is to provide knowledge and skills on HIV and AIDS including on HIVST to organizations and individuals who in turn could contribute effectively towards the knowledge sharing at workplace and in the community at large as well as support HIV ST at workplaces towards closing the testing gap among men in Tanzania.
The Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) has continued to support its private sector members in establishment and implementation of workplace and wellness programs. From 2021 ATE with the support from Population Services International (PSI) and in collaboration with TUCTA and Health providers from different leading health facilities managed to conduct batch of mass HIVST activation events among peer educators and workers at implementing workplaces.
Speaking on behalf of the Country Director i.e for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, Mr. Edmund Moshy, ILO Country Office Senior Programme officer advocated for a forward-looking approach to close the existing gaps, and ensure health equity, adequate protection, equal opportunities and treatment for all. An approach that is human-centred that integrates care, and treatment, focusesing on ending new HIV infections, ensuring quality of life and well-being of people/workers living with HIV and AIDS. He further stated that, as we focus on finishing the unfinished business, ILO continues to explore on more sustainable funding opportunities and strategies to continue our HIV and AIDS support programmes for constituents, other implementing partners and stakeholders. This includes integrating and mainstreaming HIV and AIDs in the other ILO work such as social protection, international labour standards, domestic and care work, skills development and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work programs (FPRW).
The facilitators for the training session includes Afsar, Syed Mohammad - ILO Sr. Technical Specialist from ILO Geneva - GEDI Branch assisted by Ms. Getrude Sima, National HIV and AIDS Coordinator, ILO Tanzania. Other facilitators will be from Ministry of Health – National AIDS Control Program – NACP), National Council of People Living with HIV and AIDS (NACOPHA) and Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS). The training will be attended by ILO Officials from Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda as part of sharing experiences and knowledge on private sector engagement. All training proceedings will be conducted in English. The trainings will be organised and coordinated by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) in collaboration with Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) and ILO.
The international Labour Organization continue to pledge our support to the government and social partners - ATE and TUCTA in promoting social justice and decent work for all including vulnerable groups not limited to PLHIV, but also PWDs, migrant labour, women, and youth.