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Labor Unions in Mozambique Join the National Response to HIV

Nearly two-thirds of formal sector workers in Mozambique belong to a labor union. Despite this, while considerable attention has been paid to encouraging private employers in Mozambique to adopt and implement HIV workplace policies and programs, until recently, organized labor had not been involved in efforts to support HIV interventions in the workplace. Collaborating with labor unions complements working with employers to facilitate the private sector response to HIV. This story describes how the Health Policy Initiative partnered with the National Confederation of Free and Independent Labor Unions of Mozambique (CONSILMO), which represents 106,000 members in four affiliated labor unions across Mozambique, to incorporate HIV workplace policies and programs as a standard demand in their collective bargaining efforts.
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Where We Work

Mozambique

The USAID | Health Policy Initiative completed its work in Mozambique on September 29, 2010.

Task Order I of the USAID | Health Policy Initiative (HPI) in Mozambique facilitated policy analysis, use of strategic information, and systems strengthening.  These provide the foundation for achieving the goals of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and USAID/Mozambique.

The initiative promoted evidence-based decisionmaking and data use by partners in policy formulation, program planning and financing, and monitoring and evaluation.  In particular, the project helped ensure that uniform, timely, and accurate country-specific data on HIV are available to all government and civil society partners of the National Program to Combat STDs/HIV/AIDS. Through use of high-quality data in strategic planning and policymaking, in-country partners will be able to design more effective and efficient HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs.

Specifically, the project built the capacity of Mozambique's Multisectoral Technical Group (MTG) on HIV prevention and control; trained counterparts and provided training opportunities for university students; coordinated linkages among the MTG, the National AIDS Council, ministries, and the private sector; assisted in the development of workplace policies; and facilitated donor coordination.  Overall, the project nurtured in-country human resource capacity to design HIV policies and strategies, and to continually monitor and adapt prevention, treatment, and care efforts.

These MTGs were featured in a PEPFAR issue brief on surveillance and surveys

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Largest Mobile Company Adopts HIV Workplace Policy.  Moçambique Celular (MCel) is the country's largest mobile operator and its third largest company. On October 30, 2008, following technical assistance from the project, MCel adopted an HIV workplace policy, which will protect workers against HIV-related stigma and discrimination. In addition to the direct benefit to MCel employees and their families, the new policy may encourage other telecommunications companies to take a more active role in addressing HIV in the workplace.

Wave of New Workplace Policies Adopted.  Using our Workplace Policy Builder software, the project helped to facilitate the design and adoption of HIV workplace policies in several large companies, a government ministry, and a major union confederation (CPMZ—a pipeline operating company; Grupo Madal S.A.R.L—a large agro-industrial company; the Confederation of Independent and Free Unions (CONSILMO)—a union that represents workers engaged in construction, mining, transportation, and tourism; and the Ministry of Transport.  In addition, CORNELDER—a large port operating company—is now reaching out to other companies to encourage them to use Workplace Policy Builder to design their own HIV workplace policies and programs.  CORNELDER has already helped one company, Port-Tech, design and adopt a workplace policy.

New Guidelines Regulate VCT Services.  Until recently, Mozambique did not have formal regulations or guidelines governing the provision of VCT services—a critical component of the national HIV response. On May 28, 2008, the Minister of Health approved guidelines regulating all HIV testing and counseling services provided in Mozambique. The regulations protect confidentiality, prohibit discriminatory practices, and establish criteria for the licensing and accreditation of VCT providers. The project participated in the task force that drafted the guidelines.

Last Updated 11/24/10