HIV/AIDS agreements at work – March 2010

HIV/AIDS agreements have been reached in two sectors in Zimbabwe - read more on Mywage Zimbabwe.

By John Manzongo

The Government of Zimbabwe has launched HIV and AIDS policies for two areas of the Zimbabwean economy, the Energy and Textile sectors.

Addressing delegates who attended the launch in Harare, Zimbabwean Labour and Social Services Minister Paurina Mpariwa said her government had made strides in developing and adopting legislation to deal with HIV and AIDS.

“It is now mandatory for labour inspectors to check compliance with HIV and AIDS standards when inspecting workplaces. I believe these policies will foster behavioural change, motivate openness and build networks and collaborations against HIV and AIDS at workplaces.”

She described the impact of the pandemic at the workplace as complex and far reaching.

“Employees often travel long distances and spend long periods away from their families. The Energy sector workers are highly mobile and are quite vulnerable to infection,” she said.

Minister Mpariwa said the occupational diseases like tuberculosis from exposure to spinning mills and dye chemicals in the textile industry compounded the effects of HIV and AIDS.

She encouraged other sectors to follow the good example set by the two sectors in pioneering HIV and AIDS workplace policies.

International Labour Organisation Southern Africa sub regional director Mr Alphonse Tabi-Abodo said joint initiatives by workers and employers strengthened Zimbabwe’s interventions.

“The activities implemented under this partnership continue to contribute towards the reduction of high risk sexual behaviours, facilitate universal access to drugs and reduce the impact at the individual, family and enterprise levels,” he said.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe representatives also attended the launch.