1. Trade Union Training on Occupational Safety and Health and HIV and AIDS Reaching Out to Workers in the Informal Economy

2. Structure of the Presentation  Relative Size of the Informal Economy  Informal Economy: Percentage of Non-agricultural Employment  Major Segment of the Informal Economy  Factors Fuelling the Spread of HIV & AIDS  Key Issues to be Pursued  Success is when…  Conclusions

3. Relative Size of the Informal Economy The informal economy worldwide comprised: -78% of non-agricultural employment in Asia; - 52% in Latin America - 56% in Africa 60 to 90% of Africa’s working population is in the informal economy, which also accounts for 93% of new jobs in Sub Saharan Africa. Excluding agriculture, it represents 37.7% of total GDP in Sub Saharan Africa, 30.4% in NA, 26.8% in Asia and 25.9% in Latin America.

4. Continues… Women’s share of worldwide informal employment fluctuates between 60 and 80%. In Sub Saharan Africa, 84% of women workers outside agriculture are informally employed compared to 63% of male.

5. Informal Economy – Percentage of Non- agricultural Employment

6. Major Segment of the Informal Economy The informal economy consists of micro-small & medium scale enterprises, together with substantial self-employment. Their activities are normally outside the conventional scope of government regulation and assistance. The informal economy is characterised by serious decent work deficits: rights gap, employment gap, social protection gap & social dialogue gap.

7. Factors Fuelling the Spread of HIV & AIDS Relevant factors fuelling the spread of HIV & AIDS are: -Informal Economy is associated with high levels of poverty & economic & social inequality, which factors translate into high rates of HIV transmission -Labour-intensive nature & inadequate or non-existence of labour legislation & enforcement agencies -Inadequate organisation, ineffective worker representation and voice - Lack of structures and opportunities for social dialogue -Gender inequality limits women’s control over protection measures and their ability to avoid or quit potentially high-risk relationship

8. Continues… -HIV & AIDS deepen poverty and intensify economic inequalities which are sufficient conditions, especially for women to indulge in ‘paid’ sexual relationship with transient men -Inadequate social protection -Low levels of literacy -Fewer employment-related benefits -Poor health and safety standards as well as lack of access to health facilities -The informal economy is dominated by young people, most of them with insufficient income (esp. women) but very sexually active and prepared to enter into risky ‘paid’ relationships with transient men. -Unavailability of structures and competent human resources for the implementation of HIV & AIDS policies and programmes

9. Continues… -Mobile workers within the Inform Economy are difficult to reach with HIV & AIDS programmes – for same reason, monitoring is difficult. -Working time & working conditions are not ideal for capacity building, and Informal Economy workers have difficulties attending regular training sessions. -Irregular migrants, of whom there are many in the Informal Economy, avoid formal health care systems as they are also reluctant to be part of any kind of HIV & AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support programme. -Informal Economy workers and their associations enjoy less recognition, and have harder time being heard, than workers in the formal economy. -Little attention has been given to the impact of HIV & AIDS on business and production in the Informal Economy, and only a few initiatives on HIV & AIDS are targeting informal economy workers, despite their importance & growing number.

10. Key Issues to be pursued To realise any impact of the trade union strategy in Africa, the informal economy must be looked at and certain issues considered: First of all, accept and recognise that the impact of HIV & AIDS strategies in the informal economy is critical for impact assessment Informal economy workers must be strengthened: Should be encouraged to form trade unions to represent their interests, promote and protect their rights at work; Should be made to understand and appreciate the issues of HIV & AIDS and its impact and dynamics in the informal economy; To combat discrimination and stigmatization associated with HIV & AIDS

11. Continues… Strengthen informal or non-formal education for people (adult and youth) in the informal economy: Literacy encourages information and understanding of issues better Literacy empowers an individual Build capacity in the informal economy: Leaders of Informal Economy workers’ associations and unions should be given the capacity to design projects and access funding from the Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs) for their members To demand space for the participation of their representatives in social dialogue forums where issues affecting employment, the labour market and human resources are discussed. Negotiate workplace agreements/policies with employers within the Informal Economy and help with implementation.

12. Continues… Strengthen and enforce affirmative action to address gender inequalities in the informal economy: Gender dimensions to poverty and inequality makes more women vulnerable A lot more women are employed in the informal economy Women engage in sexual contracts for surplus incomes to sustain the home Strengthen rights-based approach within the Informal Economy by: Promoting knowledge about Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining & related ILO standards Raising awareness about individual & collective rights Increasing awareness about discrimination and stigmatization Striving to reach the zero goal (zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths & zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

13. Continues… Strengthen capacity of trade unions and NGO’s working in the informal economy on:  Prevention programmes (condom outlets)  Treatment, care and support  Collaboration for better impact

14. Success is when… Informal Economy enterprises take responsibility for acting on HIV & AIDS, in collaboration with workers’ reps. There is a “zero tolerance” policy for discrimination in the workplace. Clear and concise HIV & AIDS information is regularly provided to all workers within the informal economy. Practical measures to support prevention include information on the treatment of sexually transmitted infections and access to condoms. ‘Know Your Status’ campaign encourage voluntary counselling and testing.

15. Conclusions Most regulations and strategies to fight the HIV & AIDS epidemic has focused mostly on the formal economy. However, the informal economy employs the most people, it is gender biased (more women) and has the most vulnerable groups (youth, women, non-sedentary workers, etc.) To realize impact from trade unions’ action on HIV & AIDS, it is critical and important that the informal economy is given attention and specific strategies designed to fight the epidemic in this domain.

16. The End! Any Questions?