Reportaje

ILO and workplace leaders pledge action at ICASA 2008

04 de diciembre de 2008

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Workplace leaders pledge action at ICASA 2008
Credit: ILO

On the occasion of the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA), about fifty workplace leaders gathered together on 4 December at the invitation of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Earlier in the week, the delegates had visited the Workplace Leaders Pledge Centre and committed themselves to implementing specific initiatives to address HIV in their own workplaces once they return home from the conference.

The ILO recorded the workplace pledges of the participants and invited them to join Mr. Mamadou Sow, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour of Senegal, Mr. Assane Diop, the ILO Executive director for Social Protection, Mr. Patrick Obath and Mr. Lamine Fall representing respectively the employers and workers organizations as well as Dr. Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO Programme on HIV/AIDS and the world of work for the group photo.

“Many ICASA delegates are HIV experts in various fields and probably spoke about HIV/AIDS in a number of forums. However, some might not have thought of taking HIV activities into their own workplace,” explained Dr. Kisting.

Each participant who made a pledge received a gift as a reminder of his or her commitment. The ILO ‘Workplace Leaders Pledge Centre’ will welcome participants until the end of the Conference. It is situated at the ILO stand in the exhibition area next to the UNAIDS stand with other co-sponsors.

Ms. Evelyn Serima, ILO HIV/AIDS Technical Specialist with the ILO Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa, explained that the pledges received demonstrate the commitment of employers and workers to contribute to a more sustained response to HIV/AIDS through workplace leadership.