Transcript Document
SAfAIDS,ZAN LEARNING AND SHARING EVENT Feedback from the XVII International AIDS Conference 2008 Emerging Issues in Workplace Programmes MODELS OF WORKPLACE PROGRAMMES Introduction: The pandemic of HIV and associated challenges of TB and Malaria are bigger than any of us and they require all of us working together (John Tedstrom the Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria ). The session was on Public /Private Partnerships. Ways to draw business, civil society and Government together in a more effective way to promote health and wellbeing and human rights of people living with, affected by and at risk of HIV. MODELS OF WORKPLACE PROGRAMMES Three areas in which the partnerships were reported to be tremendously productive were: At the level of Governance and contributing to policies and planning. Resource mobilization Implementation Investing in adolescent girls: Nike Foundation Why girls: 600 young people between 15 and 24 become infected daily worldwide Two thirds of those young people are girls 75% of 15 to 24 year olds with AIDS in Africa are females up from 61% in 2001 CT Lesson learnt from Nike Foundations Youth programmes tend to benefit boys Girls are at most risk and hard to reach because they are not in school or they get married early. Solutions that work for girls include: Safe spaces: getting and keeping them into school Access to HIV prevention information Basic on how the body works Preventing early marriages Economic empowerment programmes for girls CT Practical suggestions from Nike: Invest in girls and they will do the rest Target girls and not women and girls Count them and do not leave them eg data to be disaggregated by gender age etc Advocate for them and empower them “Life Initiative- Hotels addressing AIDS” Targeted the official AIDS 2008 National and International hotel chains. Worked with 5 national and 8 international hotel chains. Aimed at hotel guests and staff Programme activities included raising awareness on HIV prevention and Non discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS. The campaign included leaflets, posters,art exhibitions, distribution of male and female condoms and films The initiative will also promote development of sustainable long term HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. IMPULSO a network of NGOs experts on the provision of technical assistance on HIV in the workplace provided capacity to the hotels. Need for more such partnerships of engagement between civil society, private sector and public sector. CT Best practice: Accor hotels Development of workplace policies and programmes Develop work plans according to situations in the areas they operate Management training: created a DVD Peer education Voluntary counseling and testing Treatment and care for staff Condom distribution Going beyond company's workforce to customers Social change and the importance of non discrimination and anti-stigma: Levi Strauss Comprehensive prevention, treatment and care for employees and their families. Need for partnerships since companies have different core business. To improve access for employees services: need to be available, affordable and acceptable. CT Eg East African Breweries Limited Have a comprehensive HIV programme for employees and immediate families. VCT available on site Training of managers Prevention education Treatment and care; ARV therapy for life for both the employee and spouse Condom distribution Family days Company work with a number of local NGOs CT Challenges: Poor health delivery systems Some insurances exclude people with HIV ARV treatment when employee retires or passes on. Community Investment: Standard Chartered Bank Education and awareness Use volunteer HIV champions Sharing core skills: Use ATM machines to send HIV messages Use bank statements to talk about VCT e.g. do you know your status and give information where one can get the service Partnerships are key. With NGOs private sector and Government More Information www.kaisernetwork.org/aids2008 http://www.gbcimpact.org