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African CEOs strive to end discrimination against HIV in the workplace by 2030.
At the Africa CEO Forum, held in Geneva, Switzerland, prominent business leaders committed to ending AIDS-related discrimination at work.
The commitment from businesses is captured in a new publication by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNAIDS entitled AIDS is Everyone’s Business .
It was noted at the Africa CEO Forum that investment in high quality workplace HIV policies would be hugely beneficial not only to workers and their families, but importantly it would also be of great value to businesses, creating a healthier and more productive workforce.
Solomon Asamoah, Vice-President of the African Development Bank Group, said: “Healthy people are essential to growth and development. We need to make zero HIV in the workplace a reality. Ending AIDS is good business.”
Achieving zero HIV-related discrimination at work is on the agenda for the International Labour Organization, as is promoting voluntary and confidential counselling, testing and treatment of the virus.
Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, said that we could end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, but only if we step up our efforts over the next five years. Loures said: “Business leaders are critical partners in fast-tracking HIV testing and in ensuring zero HIV-related discrimination. The future of the AIDS response today is outside the health sector.”
Published: 16-04-15
