ILO Labour Standard on HIV and

AIDS in the world of work

(Recommendation 200)

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Decent Work for All

ASIAN DECENT WORK DECADE 2006-2015

ILO and Decent Work

Decent work
- Employment rights (e.g. fair wages, safety and health,
social security)
-Freedom of association
-Social dialogue

Achieved through development, application and

monitoring of international labour standards
With involvement of ILO partners labour
departments, organizations of employers and
workers organizations
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What is a Recommendation?

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International Labour
Standards
Conventions
If ratified, they are
binding under
international law
If not ratified, they
influence national law &
policy

Recommendations
Same authority as
Conventions
Not open to
ratification
Guidelines or higher
standards
Immediately
applicable

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Why a new standard?

To have more powerful influence on national
legislation and policies

To take into account new approaches and conditions

since the 2001 Code of Practice particularly:
- Focusing on vulnerable populations, including the
informal sector
-Ensuring access to treatment, including access to
social protection

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Who does it Cover?

The Recommendation covers:
All workers working under all forms or arrangements

All workplaces public and private sectors, formal and

informal economies
The broad definition of worker is intended to cover all
categories of workers including migrant workers, sex
workers and workers in the informal economy
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Key Rights covered in the Recommendation

Rights at work

Protection against
stigma
& discrimination
Confidentiality

Access to HIV
prevention, treatment
and care
Social security and
occupational insurance
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Employment Rights: testing and

confidentiality
Mandatory testing should not be required of
either job applicants or workers
HIV testing should be voluntary, confidential with
counseling and consent
The results of testing should be confidential
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Employment Rights
Real or perceived HIV status should not:
prevent equal access to employment
affect working conditions, remuneration, and access
to benefits
be a grounds for termination
People living with HIV should be able to continue to
work as long as they are medically fit, with reasonable
accommodation if needed
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Prevention
Comprehensive prevention to reduce high
risk behaviors
Effective occupational safety and health
measures

Measures to motivate workers to join HIV

voluntary testing and counseling
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Care, Treatment and Support

Full access to healthcare under public health programs, social
security systems, private health insurance or other schemes for
workers and their families
Antiretroviral treatment and adherence support
Treatment of opportunistic infections and related illnesses, such as
TB
Treatment of sexually transmitted infections
Nutritional support for lower income groups
Access to skills, vocational and income generation programs for
those in need
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ASIAN DECENT WORK DECADE 2006-2015

Decent Work for All

Thank you
For more information, please contact :
Richard Howard
ILO Decent Work Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Tel: 662 288 1765 , Fax: 662 288 3058

E-mail: howardr@ilo.org
www.ilo.org/asia

TOT HIV and AIDS Programme