How Effective Are HIV and AIDS Workplace Programmes in Zambia?

Employers and company managers have an important role to play in creating work environments free from AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. Implementing HIV and AIDS policies in the workplace can curb such unfair employment practices as compulsory HIV testing, and can help meet the needs of people living with HIV and AIDS for confidentiality and assistance. While our understanding of the impact of HIV and AIDS remains limited, understanding is even more limited when it comes to the impact and effectiveness of workplace responses. This work is based on the analysis of data from four workplaces in Zambia: two rural and two urban. The analyses show that with effective monitoring and evaluation, workplace programmes can help mitigate the adverse effects of HIV at company level and these benefits will eventually spill over to households and surrounding areas.