HIV and AIDS Workplace Policy

Feeling exhausted after all the running around from and the chaos of World AIDS Day there was little time to rest as I travelled to Lusaka for a workshop on HIV and AIDS workplace policy. I honestly thought that the next two days would be tedious and not prove to be worthwhile; instead the interesting nature of the discussions and the people proved me wrong. The participants had been selected on the basis that we were all part of the consultations to help develop an overarching HIV and AIDS workplace policy for Zambia. We were now at the point of commenting on a draft policy which was meant to act as guiding principles for all sectors in the country to follow and to encourage them to develop their own HIV and AIDS workplace policy policies.

A lot of detailed and careful work had gone into the document which benefited our discussions as we rarely had to rewrite sections; instead we provided corrections, insertions or additions. The mix of contributions from participants covering Government Departments, Civil Society and the Private sector also helped. My main hope is that our comments and the good progress that has already been made in drafting such a policy is not lost. A genuine effort needs to be made to launch the policy, engage with the different sectors and then support to them so that the sectors, businesses, institutions and other organisations create their own HIV and AIDS workplace policies. What we do not need is another well written policy gathering dust on a shelf.