How the UN is helping

The United Nations is committed to workplace rights for all persons, regardless of their HIV status.

First and foremost, the UN system has adopted a comprehensive workplace policy on HIV/AIDS that expressly prohibits discrimination against employees living with HIV. The UN system mandates that workplaces provide employees with orientations on HIV/AIDS and make counselling available.

HIV infection or AIDS is not considered a basis for terminating your employment. If your fitness to work is impaired by HIV-related illness, reasonable alternative working arrangements should be made. The UN believes that staff members living with HIV should enjoy the same health and social protections as other UN employees suffering from serious illness.

Learn more from the UN Personnel Policy.

Several UN system agencies have created specific initiatives to promote sound HIV-related workplace policies.

Caring for Us is a UNICEF-initiated programme that now includes UNFPA. Caring for Us promotes a caring environment for people living with, or affected by, HIV, as well as for staff members affected by other health and personal issues. Measures to help staff members and their families cope with illness or death are complemented by learning opportunities on related topics, such as access to ART. With its initiative HIV/AIDS in the Workplace, WFP is strongly committed to accepting and supporting colleagues living with HIV and AIDS in a tolerant, just and compassionate work environment. The initiative is designed to ensure that WFP's personnel policies on HIV and AIDS meet and exceed the international standards set within the UN, extend to all WFP staff training on effective AIDS awareness in the workplace, and support the development of AIDS workplace programmes in all regions. WFP works in 22 of the 25 countries most affected by AIDS, and building awareness of the epidemic is high on its agenda.

UNDP's We Care initiative supports the implementation of the UN system's workplace policy on HIV/AIDS, ensures protection of the rights of those living with HIV, and promotes a supportive work environment. We Care enhances AIDS awareness among UNDP and other UN-system staff members and facilitates a workplace environment free of discrimination and stigma.

Launched in 2002, ACTION (Access, Care, Treatment and Inter-Organizational Needs) is a project of the UN system medical services. In 10 pilot countries (Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe), ACTION is mapping locally available resources for care and support, enhancing local capacity to address HIV prevention and AIDS care, and improving interagency coordination on workplace issues.

Benefiting from the technical expertise of WHO, ACTION facilitates treatment initiatives that are appropriate to individual countries. For example, ACTION has established a revolving fund to purchase a constant and reliable supply of high-quality ART drugs to ensure a continuous supply for UN employees and dependants who need them. In addition, ACTION undertakes workplace initiatives to foster a compassionate and supportive work environment for people living with HIV. It is hoped that ACTION will eventually extend beyond the initial 10 target countries. To intensify the fight against HIV and AIDS in the workplace, the World Bank has appointed internal focal points (Task Team Leaders) in all its offices worldwide. These individuals are responsible for increasing awareness among staff and their dependents, promoting access to the free voluntary counselling and testing services provided by the World Bank, and ensuring access to PEP kits for those who need them. The World Bank guarantees confidentiality in the processing of medical claims through its Health Services Department in Washington and facilitates the supply of antiretroviral drugs to its HIV-positive staff and dependents.

In several countries, the UN system has moved beyond agency-specific initiatives to promote a fair and non-discriminatory workplace. The consolidation of all of its HIV and AIDS-related workplace efforts has enabled the UN system to target all staff members working in these countries.

None of us who work in the UN system can be fired, demoted, or denied a promotion or assignment solely on the basis of HIV infection. Most people with HIV are fully capable of continuing to contribute through work-whether within or outside the UN system. In the UN system, fitness to perform the required duties is the sole medical requirement for employment.

When we are placed in a new position in the UN or sent on mission, UN system medical services conduct a medical exam to determine our physical fitness for the assignment. Keep in mind that the UN system medical services will not test you for HIV without your consent. Depending on the nature of the assignment, its location, and the state of our own health, the UN system medical services might decline to certify us as being fit for a particular job. In all such cases, qualified medical staff will make this determination only after an individualized assessment of our health situation; no blanket exclusion of people with HIV is allowed for jobs in the UN. If a medical clearance is withheld for a new assignment, the UN system medical services will not disclose to your supervisor or your colleagues the nature of any health condition revealed or detected during a medical examination. The UN system medical services will, in all cases, closely guard the confidentiality of all personal medical information, including your HIV status, should you decide to disclose it to them.

If, at any time, you become unable to perform your job as a result of HIV infection, the UN system will work with you to adjust your work situation so that you can continue to be employed by the UN system.