As we commemorate the 21st anniversary of fighting against the HIV and AIDS pandemic, public sector trade unions in southern Africa continue to play an important role through collective bargaining and challenging stigma and discrimination at the workplace. Public sector trade union work has in many respects ensured the respect, promotion and protection of the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS at the workplace in particular and society in general.

This year’s theme: ‘Universal access and human rights’ is an expansion of the already existing work of trade unions in safeguarding human rights around the world on various issues including freedom of speech, movement, right to organise and collectively bargain. Public sector trade unions can also make it happen in the field of HIV and AIDS by playing their part towards the achievement of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support!

However, achieving universal access and human rights in all aspects of the pandemic requires responses grounded in the key drivers of the epidemic at the workplace, national and regional level. We need to ensure that there are effective policies and programmes on the ground addressing the peculiar needs of the working population. ‘Real’ workplace responses are critical in the public sector in particular, and Sub-Saharan Africa in general in view of the fact that the region remains the most affected accounting for 71% of all new infections in 2008. Treatment programmes in 2008 only reached 44% of the people living with HIV and AIDS. This means that our current responses are being outpaced by the pandemic and hence the need for increased efforts.

Our increased efforts should also be cognisant of the needs of vulnerable groups such as women, young workers, children and migrant workers who continue to be disproportionally affected by HIV and AIDS. We call upon our partners all over the world to continue to support our efforts to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS on the public sector working population in Southern Africa.

Below are links to the web sites of other organisations working in the fight against HIV and AIDS in the Southern African region:

ICN - www.icn.ch
WHO - www.who.int/topics/hiv_infections/en/
ILO - www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids/aboutiloaids.htm
UNAIDS - www.unaids.org
GUF - www.global-unions.org
TAC - www.tac.org.za
ICFTU-AFRO - www.icftuafro.org
SADC - www.sadc.int