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This research aims to evaluate effective workplace responses to the HIV epidemic across multiple African countries.

May 25, 2026Open Access

It works!: HIV and AIDS workplace responses: a multi-country research study on Africa

Key Points

This research aims to evaluate effective workplace responses to the HIV epidemic across multiple African countries.
Multi-country analysis conducted by ILO across 10 nations
Focus on diverse workplaces including large, small, formal, and informal sectors
Examination of successful policies, programmes, and outcomes over a specific period
Identified key elements contributing to successful HIV workplace responses
Highlighted concrete examples from various workplaces showing effective interventions
Provided evidence supporting the design of workplace HIV strategies aimed at prevention and access to services

Abstract

The African continent is home to more than a billion women and men. It is experiencing an HIV epidemic that is evolving in accordance with different national circumstances and driven by specific factors. The diversity of responses to the epidemic, including from the world of work, provides for a wealth of information, revealing the effectiveness of HIV policies and programmes across a broad range of situations. They all offer concrete examples of what works in HIV workplace responses, demonstrating that committed, resourceful and innovative workplaces can successfully respond to one of the major challenges of our time. This report, It works! HIV and AIDS workplace responses. A multi-country research study on Africa, is the ILO's answer to requests from its tripartite constituents: Ministries of Labour, Employers' and Workers' organizations. After decades of action to respond to HIV and AIDS through the workplace, ILO has taken stock of results achieved to better understand what responses worked well, how, where and why they did so. To this end, the ILO commissioned a study to identify and analyse successful policies, programmes and measures adopted by a variety of workplaces, large and small, formal and informal, public and private, across the African continent. This study does not focus exclusively on the ILO's contribution to workplace responses. It was carried out in 10 countries, focusing on a specific period of time and examining results achieved in diverse workplaces with documented evidence of successful outcomes. The report sets out the results of this extensive investigative study, providing an in-depth analysis of the elements identified as instrumental in workplace responses to ensure successful outcomes and maximum impact. The ILO hopes that the findings and recommendations contained in this report can support the design and delivery of workplace HIV responses throughout Africa and in other workplaces around the world to prevent HIV transmission, increase access to HIV services and safeguard the health and fundamental labour rights of working women and men worldwide.

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