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Original Post Date: 2010-07-29 Time: 23:00:03 Posted By: News Poster
By Funmi Komolafe
The 18th International AIDS Conference was held from18 to 23 July, in Vienna, Austria. For the International Labour Organisation, it provided an opportunity to launch the implementation phase of the new international labour standard.
Since 2001 when the ILO published ” An ILO code of practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work”, it has not relented in its efforts on HIV/ AIDS in the work place.
These efforts paid off with an unprecedented adoption of ” New International Labour Standards on HIV/ AIDS” at the 2010, ILC.
WITH a vote of 439 in favour, four against and 11 abstentions, delegates to the 99th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, adopted the Recommendation on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. Nigeria was one of the countries that voted in favour of the recommendation which the ILO described as ” Unprecedented new international labour standard on HIV/AIDS”.
It simply means that governments, employers and workers have agreed to certain international standards on HIV/AIDS in the work place.
Outside the plenary session where the adoption took place, representatives of the social partners explained in detail, why the adoption of the international standard became necessary. Ms. Thambo Makeka president of the employers federation of Lesotho said ” there was a consensus from employers, workers and government.
I have no doubt that there is a commitment to implement the recommendation which has key elements on gender equality, social protection, occupational safety and standards, employment opportunities are critical for all those affected by HIV/AIDS”.
She said issues of care and support are ” very important” just as the issue of involving young workers is also “very critical”.
Ms. Makeka said “we believe the tripartite partners have to be at the center of the implementation”.
Quite optimistic, she said, ” with this recommendation , we have scored a goal that will make all of us winners”.
Vice president of the Workers Federation, Mr. Jan Sithole said ” as workers our appeal is for the world to look at this recommendation and apply it. Scarcity of money can be corrected . You can borrow if you don’t have money but you can’t borrow life”.
He made an appeal. ” Let’s call on workers’ organisations to encourage their members to have a test to determine status. Even if you are negative, you have a duty to keep yourself negative. It is important to focus on this high risk groups because we have denied too long to have protection but now we can no longer deny.
Mr. Sithole took many by surprise when he said, ” the most threatened group in some countries is married couples. Unless we stop denying that sex commercial workers need attention, all efforts may come to noughts”.
Its importance – Somavia
The ILO estimates ” majority of the 33.2 million people living with HIV are employed and in their most productive years, with skills and experiences their families, workplace and country can ill afford to lose yet many workers are forced out of jobs because of stigma and discrimination . For others, their working lives are cut short because of lack of information about, or access to, prevention , treatment, care and support”.
The director-general, Mr. Juan Somavia said, ” Social and economic inequality has been a key factor in the spread of HIV. The ongoing global economic crisis will aggravate this situation and hard won gains will undoubtedly be under pressure… At this turbulent time, strong leadership and a clear vision that connects people’s lives and livelihoods with recovery and growth are all the more criticial if we are to keep the promise to stop AIDS”.
Our efforts inadequate – NLC
The general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade John Odah believes Nigeria has to do a lot more than she has done. His assessment, ” This is an area that has continued to provide difficulty because despite all that has been done in the area of education, we still need to do more to stop stigmatisation of the disease.
So, a lot of those who have the virus spend considerable time concealing it. Where employers become aware and take action against them, it takes a long time before anything is done at all. ILO is spearheading understanding to avoid discrimination . It is a very welcome attempt”.
Between a Recommendation / Convention – For those familiar with the workings of the ILO indeed the ILC , once such a recommendation is adopted, a Convention is on the way. So, what is significant about this recommendation? President of the Commission on HIV/AIDS, Ms. Thembe Nene Shezi explained, ” it does not require ratification by members.
It does not leave out anybody.”. She recalled that the Governing Body of 2006 and 2007 debated extensively the HIV/AIDS Code of Practice and the World of Work but ” we could not get a full support for a Convention”.
Ms. Shezi said, ” event the sponsors of the recommendation voted for the rejection of mandatory testing”.
On the global attitude to persons infected with HIV/AIDS, she said, ” there are 60 countries where there are travel restrictions in place. The United States of America has lifted travel restrictions, China too. This is a trend we can protect on the basis of Human Rights rather than exclude”.
Ms. Shezi said, ” We have found that the code of practice is very broadly used. Nigeria has got a code in place. The code is being extensively used all over including the United Nations agencies but it is a voluntary instrument”.
Noting that ” even workers stigmatise fellow workers”, she called a cultural orientation, and political will to address HIV/ AIDS in the workplace and concluded that ” poverty is being associated with the HIV endemic”.
However, in Southern Africa, ILO studies showed that with awareness, and the implementation of the code of practice, HIV/AIDS infection has been reduced from “18% to 5%.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 29 July 2010
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201007291043.html?viewall=1