THE ninth anniversary of the Guyana HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme was marked on Monday at the Pegasus Hotel, with the start of a two-day evaluation workshop that critically analysed progress to date.

The head table at the workshop.

The forum also involved brainstorming with the ultimate goal of finding ways to strengthen and develop the process.

It was organised by the Government of Guyana/International Labour Organisation (GOG/ILO) HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme and supported by the United States Department of Labour AIDS Workplace Education Pt and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (USDOL/PEPFAR).

Themed ‘Expanding Circles of Sharing and Learning’, the objectives were:

* to highlight the achievements and lessons learned from the programme, so far;

* to review the draft sustainability plan and identify gaps in it;

* to share good practices from the tripartite constituents and partnering companies and

* to identify strategies for filling the gaps and further strengthen the scheme.

Other stakeholders attending included from workplace education programmes established by Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), Barama Company, Noble House Seafoods, Republic Bank, Property Protection Services and Digicel.

The tripartite partnership is a collaboration involving representatives of the Guyana Government, primarily through the Ministry of Labour, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry (CAGI).

The GOG/ILO/USDOL/PEPFAR HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Project commenced on October 6, 2003, with the specific objectives of contributing to the prevention of the pandemic in the workplace, educating workers to play their part in protecting themselves and colleagues in the working environment and reducing the adverse effects on social, labour and economic development.

It has seen considerable progress over the nine years, said National Project Coordinator, Mr. Sean Wilson.

Tripartite partnership
He said, in 2003, 18 enterprises joined to collaborate with the tripartite partnership and the complement was strengthened with an additional 13 entities embracing 28,500 employees, in 11 local sectors.

Wilson said, of the 31 companies, 26 have signed memoranda of cooperation while 23 have adopted workplace policies.

He said all the enterprises have been actively involved in implementing HIV activities in their respective workplaces, at varying degrees.

But, according to him, the immediate aim is to increase the capacity of the ILO’s tripartite constituents to design and implement workplace prevention, education and behaviour change procedures and policies which address stigma and discrimination, among other issues.

He said, while it would seem that much has been accomplished, with stakeholders at all levels expending much energy to make the project a success, key amongst them at the tripartite level are concerned that much more needs to be done to appreciably reduce stigma and discrimination, still rife in society.

Wilson observed that, although some workplace education programmes are doing well and would be able to stand on their own, even in developing their own policies, others still need to work harder.

He concurred, with Programme Manager, Mr. Behrouz Shakhandeh, that persons in the workplace need to mature to the extent where they can see and appreciate that people living with HIV could still lead productive lives and should be given a chance.

However, Wilson is of the view that, as a country, Guyana is making the right move, aimed at having a more multi-sectoral approach towards HIV/AIDS education in the workplace.

“And that is certainly going to benefit us all, I think,” he added.

Other features of the education programme include a national youth empowerment programme conducted by the Ministry of Labour for out-of-school young people preparing to get into the world of work.

Through it, skills training which incorporates sexual and reproductive health is being addressed.