• by IPS Correspondents (basseterre, st. kitts)
• Thursday, July 19, 2012
• Inter Press Service

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Jul 19 (IPS) - Thirty years into the HIV and AIDS epidemic, Caribbean countries are slowly putting necessary legislation in place to ensure the rights of workers despite their HIV/AIDS and chronic disease status.

Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) Caribbean Regional Support Team, Dr. Ernest Massiah. Credit: Desmond Brown/IPS

In June, Cabinet approved the St. Kitts and Nevis Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS and Other Chronic Diseases, while neighbouring Anguilla is fine-tuning a policy on HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses in the workplace.

“Cabinet also approved the establishment of a cross-sectoral committee to be charged with the implementation of the St. Kitts and Nevis Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS and Other Chronic Diseases,” said Minister of Information Nigel Carty.

He explained that the policy deals explicitly with recognising HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases as a workplace issue; reducing stigma and discrimination taking into account the gender dimension; protection against victimisation; ensuring a healthy workplace with reasonable accommodation for workers; non-screening for employment purposes; confidentiality and prevention, counseling and support.

“When I heard that St. Kitts had taken this step, I secretly wished that I was living there,” said Lane Scout, a 30-year old Antiguan professional living with HIV. He requested a pseudonym for fear of being stigmatised.

“I live in fear each day that I could lose my job if it becomes known that I am HIV-positive. As far as I know, there is no policy either at the country level or at the place where I work to protect people who have HIV,” Scout told IPS.

St. Kitts and Nevis is one of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries that have entered into an agreement with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to implement the decent work agenda through the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP). The new policy is consistent with the ILO’s decent work agenda.

In Anguilla, the authorities said they are fine-tuning a policy on HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses in the workplace.

The document is also expected to cover such life-threatening illnesses as cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, emphysema and lupus and set down minimum standards of conduct for government and business employers, unions and workers groups.

Director of the National AIDS Programme, Maeza Demis Adams, said the document is intended to be used to develop workplace policies in the private and public sectors throughout the British Overseas Territory.

She said the draft policy would be taken to Parliament for approval following a day-long stakeholders meeting on Jul. 25. Health officials are hoping the document will promote dialogue, consensus and best practices in the workplace. “The policy reflects the diverse needs that are present in our workplace,” said Health and Social Development Minister Edison Baird.

© Inter Press Service (2012) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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