This morning the International Labour Organization along with the U.S. Department of Labour and the HIV/Aids in the workplace education program launched a programme to promote behavior change in workplace communication. These target the labor force in the agriculture, tourism, utilities, banking and sanitation sectors of the workforce. Here's more.
Sheila Middleton,
"We are launching the materials developed, the behavior change materials developed for the companies that are participating in the ILO project. What happened is that we did a series of things to reach to this point whereby we could actually develop and have the materials. If you notice earlier we did a presentation, we did a baseline survey with approximately six companies that are participating in the project and we also did focus groups with the companies, just basically to find out their behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs about HIV and Aids. And that was the key in developing the behavior change communication strategy and from that strategy each workplace has a behavior change workplace work plan.
We have trained over 70 peer educators that will be key in the whole workplace education program because they will be expected to go back to the workplace and to inform or educate their co-workers about HIV and Aids."
Herta Gentle Barber, Focal Point - Ministry of Labor
"With all the information out there on HIV, we still realize that Belizeans have a lot to do when it comes to behavior. The idea that the Labor Department is involved is because we see it as more than just a health issue, it's also a labor issue. From the statistics that we have in country, it shows that the persons affected by HIV and Aids are between the ages of 14 and 29 which is our productive force so it is very necessary for the Labor Department to take a lead in HIV and Aids in the workplace."
