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The International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR) and the Swedish Industrial and Metalworkers’ Union (IF Metall) have jointly decided to initiate and implement a long-term strategy to contribute to the establishment and/or support of HIV and Aids programmes at Swedish related workplaces in Sub-Saharan Africa. The SWHAP presently operates in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. It is co-financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida.
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Why the Workplace?
The HIV and Aids pandemic has dreadful humanitarian consequences as well as enormous effects on households, businesses and societies at large. There is no doubt that everyone must contribute to the prevention of further spread of HIV and to alleviate the effects of the ongoing pandemic. The workplace is an ideal arena to address the causes and implications of HIV and Aids. We spend a lot of time at work and attitude formation and behaviour change are greatly connected to working life and work culture. Consequently, the business world and the labour unions have a golden opportunity to play an important role in the endeavour to limit the repercussions of the devastating disease and to develop tools for combating its effects.
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The SWHAP
The practical implementation process of the SWHAP by definition takes place at the workplace itself. A key element for success is that the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes are the joint responsibility of management and employees. This is done through workplace committees that plan and implement activities such as voluntary counselling and testing, peer education training, management sensitization, condom distribution, couple counselling, care and treatment.
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Main Programme Objectives
- To assist employers and employees at Swedish related workplaces to combat the HIV and Aids pandemic
- To make these workplaces the national spearheads of workplace related HIV and Aids activities
- To initiate a corporate engagement globally
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Specified Objectives
- To stimulate management and employees at the workplace to work hand in hand to address the issue of HIV/Aids
- To support already existing HIV and Aids programmes at the workplace with fresh resources
- To stimulate the individual company to increase investments in HIV and Aids activities at the workplace
- To develop an effective network between the workplaces
- To disseminate information on HIV and Aids, particularly workplace policies and programmes, to an external audience
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