The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is reporting a reduction in the practice of risky sexual behaviour among employees and stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS in the workplace.

This is according to preliminary findings of the ILO HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme, which started three and a half years ago.

Nasolo Thompson, national project coordinator of the ILO programme, told The Gleaner that the programme has been making some inroads at the 15 local companies which the programme has been working with over the period.

Visible improvement

"We have some anecdotal data suggesting that things are moving in the right direction," she told The Gleaner. "We are expecting to see some degree of behaviour change as it relates to risky behaviour, multiple sex partners should have reduced and an increase in the use of condoms."

As it relates to discrimination in the workplace, Mrs. Thompson said the data were showing an improvement in this area.

"The data so far, suggest that the general perception of stigma and discrimination should be less within companies because we have done a lot to reduce the stress of the employee and potential positive employee as it relates to working in an environment and being positive," she said.

The project coordinator said that there were no cases of persons who were terminated because they were HIV positive.

Developing policies

"There is a small challenge in Jamaica but, in particular, the Caribbean where there is not much data as it relates to stigma and discrimination. The majority of it is anecdotal because it is very difficult to access whether somebody has been fired as a result of their HIV status," she said.

Mrs. Thompson said the programme, which is being funded by the United States Department of Labour, worked with 15 companies and targeted five sectors. These include the mining, agriculture, manufacturing and the cosmetology sectors.

She said the programme, which expires next year, has helped six of these companies to develop work-place policies while the other nine have developed draft policies.

The behaviour change programmes have directly impacted some 12,000 employees, she disclosed.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com