The National HIV and AIDS Secretariat in collaboration with ILO/AIDS, the Ministry of Employment, Social Security and Industrial Relations with the Sierra Leone Employers Federation and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and UNAIDS convened a one-day consultation on the new International Standard on HIV and AIDS adopted at the 99th session of the International Labour Conference on 17th June 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland with a cross section of the world of work stakeholders.  The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Employment, Social Security and Industrial Relations and statements were delivered by the Secretary-General Sierra Leone Labour Congress, The Executive Secretary Sierra Leone Employers Federation, the Parliamentary Oversight Committee Chairpersons for Labour, HIV and Presidential Affairs and Defense and UNAIDS.  At the consultation were stakeholders from people living with HIV, the media, workers associations, the private and public sectors, the Sierra Leone Parliament.

• The purpose of the consultation was to take stock on the World of Work Response to HIV and AIDS in Sierra Leone
• Discuss the Recommendation of the new International Labour Standard on HIV and AIDS and the world of work
• Empower and give support to National HIV and AIDS Secretariat in Implementing the new recommendations
• Come up with a Roadmap for the country that will be binding on the tripartite memberships in implementing the new recommendations
• Establish a Joint Tripartite Plus Committee to serve as a technical working group that would work with the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat to be reviewing the implementation of the new  recommendations

Two key presentations were made.  The first presentation on the overview of the World of Work Response was done by the Director of NAS, Dr. Brima Kargbo.  The second presentation was done by the Deputy Director, Mr. Abdul Rahman Sessay.  The presentation was on the new Instrument.  The processes it went through before its adoption and the content of the new instrument.

The outcome of the consultation were:

1. Unanimous adoption of the new recommendation
2. The establishment of a Tripartite Plus Committee as a technical working group that would work with the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat to be reviewing the implementation of the new  recommendations
3. Minister to be joined by the Committee to Brief His Excellency on the New Standard
4. Discussion to be held in parliament on the new recommendations
5. Cabinet to discuss the new recommendations
6. Ministry of Labour to fast track the review of the Laws to incorporate this new recommendation and HIV issues
7. Tripartite Plus Committee to put in place mechanisms to enforce the new recommendations
8. ILO to provide technical and financial support to assist Government implement the new recommendations.

Click on the link below to see

Some photos from a One Day ILO AIDS Meeting