Activists call for discussions on AIDS at workplaces

The Agency for Co-operation and Research in Development (ACORD) in partnership with Rwanda NGO forum on HIV/ AIDS and the Private Sector Federation (PSF) organised a one day meeting last week with an aim of discussing ways of extending discussing HIV policies at workplaces. Clemence Murekatete the HIV/ AIDS programmes manager at the PSF told The New Times that it is mainly lack of workplace policies on HIV/AIDS, sending employees on extended missions and sexual harassment at workplaces as some of the major causes for its spread. During the meeting, it was agreed that women are the major victims to HIV/ AIDS; this is because male bosses at workplaces harass them sexually. “There are bosses who will never promote some female workers just because they turned down their sexual advances,” said Murekatete. According to Jean Nathan Sezibera a consultant from ACORD, the meeting focused on presenting results of a baseline study on policy and practice related to HIV/ AIDS in institutions like the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), BRALIRWA and Joint Action Mainstreaming in Rwanda (JOHMIR) among others. Participants at the meeting advocated for the eradication of HIV prevalence at workplaces, ARVs access, children and women rights, support and care for people living with HIV/ AIDS and internal mainstreaming in districts. The participants also backed the use of female and male condoms in both offices and hotels. In her closing remarks, Alice Anukur, the Country Director of Oxfam Great Britain Rwanda programme, called for an active role of institutional leaders to mainstream or integrate HIV/ AIDS policies at workplaces. Ends