Supporting the private sector's response to HIV/AIDS in East Africa
In line with its advocacy, EABC has established the HIV and AIDS programme in collaboration with GTZ through its project “Support of the Private Sector in Africa to fight AIDS (SPAA),” which acts on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
This collaboration is aimed at coordinating the private sector’s response to HIV/AIDS in the East African Community partner states. GTZ/SPAA works from a regional perspective, while ensuring that the intended beneficiaries of the programme are reached.
The HIV/AIDS programme focuses on supporting and enhancing private sector capacity to respond to and mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS on business productivity within the region, as well as enhancing coordinated reporting and monitoring and evaluation systems. EABC plays a coordinating role for activities at the regional level and provides a forum for harmonization of laws, regulations and policies related to HIV and AIDS vis a vis business.
What EABC Members Do Against AIDS – Results of a 2007 Survey
EABC carried out a survey of workplaces within its membership in 2007 which reveals that :-
- There’s an increased perception of the risk of HIV/AIDS,
- Companies are establishing workplace responses and
- There’s allocation of budget to address HIV/AIDS in the workplace.
Coordinating the Private Sector’s Response in East Africa
EABC has started a process of selecting focal points for Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi which aims at a coordinated private sector response in the 5 EAC Partner States with respect to HIV/AIDS and health at the workplace.
The focal points will form the Regional Working group on HIV and AIDS in East Africa, the roles of which will include:
- Developing an advocacy agenda for the region;
- Identifying gaps and challenges;
- Lobbying for private sector interests in the region.
The Regional Working Group will also address the immediate concerns of coordination and reporting, as well share and learn from each others’ experiences.
This will be an important step for immediate collaboration and generation of new concepts and opportunities to increase action by the business community. Furthermore, this group will also seek to address the gaps in implemention of HIV and AIDS programmes in East Africa, the EABC staff survey and support the study on Industry Specific Approaches that will inform our future programming.
Areas of Focus
In general, this joint effort focuses on helping the private sector mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS on sustained profitability and economic growth and, more specifically to:
- Provide timely and accurate information and educational materials to all businesses within the region e.g. through the national Business Coalitions;
- Establish a regional database of all businesses and their specific responses to HIV and AIDS in the workplace; 3. Document and share best practices within the region and facilitate experience sharing in the business community;
- Provide Policy guidance and ensure Public-Private dialogue on policy issues;
- Advocate for harmonization of regulations, strategies and policies in the field of Business and HIV/AIDS;
- Develop sector specific approaches;
- Work within the framework of the EAC Secretariat’s strategic plan on HIV and AIDS and Private sector development strategy.
Focal Points on AIDS for the private sector in the five EAC countries
The East African Business council through its regional membership network of over 130 business associations, coalitions and corporate organizations is coordinating business- led selection of focal points for each of the 5 East African Community partner states that will then form the EABC regional working group on HIV and AIDS.
The regional working group will then pursue the agreed upon advocacy agenda at the regional level. Focal points will constitute business associations and coalitions with a track record of leadership in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The country meetings are aimed at bringing together Private Sector HIV and AIDS stakeholders both EABC members and non-members, as well as tripartite partners and development organizations, to better understand what is being done by the various stakeholders from the private sector in terms of Workplace programs on HIV and AIDS / health.
This will then inform the regional initiative and serve to avoid duplication of effort and establishment of coordinated reporting that will eventually lead to documentation of all initiatives and identification of best practices in the region.
The result is the selection of a focal point, who plays a coordinative role in terms of reporting, identification of challenges, successes, best practices and policy issues that need to be addressed at the regional level. The focal point (organizations) represents or speaks on behalf of the country chapters at the regional fora.
Selected Focal Points and Alternates
TANZANIA
AIDS Business Coalition Tanzania
AIDS Business Coalition Zanziba (Alternate Focal Point)
KENYA
Kenya HIV and Aids Business Council •
Federation of Kenya Employers(Alternate Focal Point)
UGANDA
Federation of Uganda Employers
ganda Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Alternate Focal Point)
RWANDA
Private Sector Federation
BURUNDI
Assciation of Burundi Employers
Association of Burundi Women Entrepreneurs -Alternate Focal Point
Work in Progress
Compilation and harmonization of national laws on AIDS in the world of work
EABC is working in close collaboration with the East African Community secretariat, East African Legislative Assembly and the East African Law Society to ensure the development and enactment of relevant legislation on HIV and AIDS, as well as move toward the harmonization of regulations, codes and strategies in the various East African countries. To this end, the EABC is compiling the laws, codes and regulations from various countries that will form the basis of discussions in the future e.g. within the regional working group.
Sector/Industry- Specific Approaches to integrate HIV in occupational health
A study on industry specific approaches, to be carried out in collaborated with GTZ, is designed to identify the industries carrying out programmes on HIV and AIDS / health, needs for improvement and initiatives that are making a difference. Sector-specific approaches to HIV and AIDS and other health problems will provide guidance to companies on how to meet their specific health needs. Since most industries are organized on the national level, capacity development can use existing association structures. Taking a regional approach to develop sectoral health programmes in the private sector creates synergies from similar needs in different countries.
For more information Contact:
Lillian Awinja at: lawinja@eabc-online.com
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