ILO/AIDS ACTIVITIES in Asia and Pacific Dr. Benjamin Alli, Turin, July 2006 ILO/AIDS ACTIVITIES in Asia and Pacific Dr. Benjamin Alli, Turin, July 2006

HIV Estimates for Asia (2005)* Number of people living with HIV in 2005: 8.3 million (range: 5.4 million–12 million) People newly infected with HIV in 2005: 1.1 million (range: 600,000–2.5 million) AIDS deaths in 2005: 520,000 (range: 330,000–780,000) *Source: UNAIDS website,

ILO ACTION ON HIV/AIDS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Programmes in India, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam; Areas of intervention: &Advocacy &Policy and legal advice &Capacity building &Assistance to workplace action &Research

&Impact on workers & business: HIV/AIDS inhibits the goal of Decent Work &The workplace can help prevent and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS &Mandate: &ILC Resolution (2000) &ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work (2001) &UNGASS Declaration of Commitment (2001) &UNAIDS Co-Sponsor (since 2001) HIV/AIDS: WHY THE ILO TAKES ACTION

PROBLEM STATEMENT “Businesses in Asia have not even scratched the surface of what they could do” Richard Holbrooke, President of GBC, 28/02/03 &HIV/AIDS at the workplace is not always visible &Major costs may only occur in the future &Companies may fear for their reputation if proactive &Many companies don’t know what they should to do, and how to do it &Sustained efforts are the exception &Some of the ILO’s tripartite constituents still perceive HIV/AIDS primarily as a health issue

CHALLENGES IN ASIA To identify effective messages, partners and tools for enhancing company endorsement of HIV/AIDS policies and workplace programmes.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MESSAGES &Appeal to the self-interest of companies (e.g. cost arguments: “Prevent now or pay later!”) &Appeal to the social conscience of companies &Be evidence-based (facts and figures!) &Address local realities (knowledge, attitudes, practices, beliefs, experience), draw analogies &Acknowledge fears, dispel myths (e.g. what are the risks for occupational transmission of HIV?) &Human Rights: highlight benefits of protecting rights, and possible costs of their violation; offer practical solutions &Propose variety of options to accommodate specific needs and capabilities

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHANGE IN ASIA &Emergence of voluntary private initiatives (e.g. business coalitions on AIDS) &Outreach to businesses through intermediaries, such as business coalitions &Influence these intermediaries to bring their actions in line with the ILO standards &Strengthen partnerships between specialised NGOs and employers’ organisations &Establish service provider networks &Involve people living with HIV/AIDS in advocacy work, and possibly programme development

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHANGE: IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET COMPANIES &Epidemiological approach vs. marketing approach &Criteria (examples): &PR needs &Involvement in CSR activities &Sector concentration, e.g. industrial estates (sharing of services) &Availability of Business to business support, based on established good practice &Subcontracting chains (buyer-supplier relations) &Sustained personal contacts

TOOLS &Make taking action simple (self-help guides; toolkits; case studies; referral systems etc.) &Acknowledge and publicize good practice (certification; awards; media coverage) &Provide policy guidance (declarations of commitment; industry codes) &Set own standards of good practice (e.g. UN HIV/AIDS workplace policy and programme) &Participate in business fora (e.g. on CSR; trade fairs; informal meetings of HR managers etc.)

TOOLS &Advise on integrating HIV/AIDS into ongoing programmes &Advocate for policy change that is in the mutual interest of employers and workers (e.g. social security coverage; tax reductions?) &Mobilise private sector resources (not just funding, e.g. merchandising) &Etc.

PRIVATE SECTOR MOBILISATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS Opportunities: &Good practice development (peer pressure; experience- based guidance) &Efficiency &Outreach (e.g. with subcontracting chains that may not be affiliated to any employers’ organisations) &Resource mobilisation (logisitics, marketing, funding etc.) Risks: &Sustainability (institutions and interventions)? &Outreach (piecemeal approaches)? &Legitimacy? &Effectiveness (endorsement of sub-standard responses)?

CONCLUSIONS 1. Private sector initiatives can play an important role in promoting workplace practices in line with the ILO’s principles. 2. Private sector initiatives offer a useful entry point for the mobilisation of employers for the promotion of the ILO’s goals. 3. Leaving the initiative to businesses and business associations alone is not sufficient to ensure the application of standards promoted by the ILO.

FURTHER INFORMATION ILOAIDS ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS and the world of work: