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Ramesh Venkataraman Positive Life New Delhi, India

HIV professionals Living with HIV. ….And the Workplace. Ramesh Venkataraman Positive Life New Delhi, India. August 16, 2006: Toronto 15 th International AIDS Conference. For many of us what is the workplace?. …And who is a professional?. Many personal Realities and Experiences

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Ramesh Venkataraman Positive Life New Delhi, India

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  1. HIV professionals Living with HIV ….And the Workplace Ramesh Venkataraman Positive Life New Delhi, India August 16, 2006: Toronto 15th International AIDS Conference

  2. For many of us what is the workplace? …And who is a professional? Many personal Realities and Experiences …. And all are valid!! My personal reality Govt owned TV channel broadcaster Pvt TV channel broadcaster Documentary film maker HIV activist and advocate Theatre professional HIV Consultant with Bilateral and UN agencies National HIV Programme Coordinator – Oxfam GB, India Regional HIV Advisor – South Asia, Oxfam GB

  3. Private Sector? Development Sector? Government? In each of these jobs, my personal identity was always that of an ‘HIV professional’. NGO person? Activist? In some of these jobs, my external identity was also that of an ‘HIV professional’. Only in Oxfam, I had the benefit of an HIV workplace policy.

  4. Towards a better understanding Operatives that often can be a knive’s edge in a workplace in the AIDS sector and outside • The ‘Monolith Syndrome’ … more of the same! • Identity MORE than that of a PWHA… (and implications thereof) • A constant, underlying, overt or silent …. • ‘push’ to be completely open about status • Is shared confidentiality same as being open? And this can lead to that big question

  5. DO I DISCLOSE????? ?? ?? ?? And of course a workplace policy helps….

  6. Some key points to start with: A comprehensive HIV workplace policy is still rare in India and most of the region, even within development organizations. • In the event that a workplace policy does exist in an organization --the policy may still often emanate from the following premise: • that a Person living with HIV in the workplace maybe more a liability than an asset • that a workplace policy is meant to make the workplace ‘safe’ for those who are sero-negative or sero-anonymous HIV workplace policies, where they do exist, often fall short of being sufficiently contemporary, only partly reflecting the fast changing realities of the epidemic.

  7. Comprehensive response within a workplace: HIV workplace POLICY HIV Workplace Programmes Enhancing HIV competency of the People in the workplace. The goal of instituting and implementing an HIV workplace policy is to make the workplace HIV competent.

  8. Shared Confidentiality…… is it understood? And More Important….. Totally Respected? Sometimes many recede……. Why? Perceptions of others and assessment of implications A Dual Role of identity…… A Struggle!! Perception of self and self worth

  9. Elements of HIV Workplace policies/responses that facilitate PLHAs who are HIV professionals When an empowered HR unit within the org is vested with the capacity and power to take swift and sometimes difficult decisions. When the policy is backed by a regular programme roll out. When the policy is easy to unpack and understand. When the HIV policy goes hand in hand with a comprehensive health insurance cover. Policies that include ‘reasonable compensation’ for both, people living with and affected by HIV. HIV is too dynamic a condition for a policy to remain static in time – there has to be the space for constant evaluation and change Where there is minimal expectation to be ‘open’ about one’s HIV status than the PLWHA him/herself is agreeable to

  10. Elements of HIV Workplace policies/responses that may ‘inhibit’ People living with HIV • The monolith syndrome • Policy takes care of discrimination. What about that internal/individual process called stigma? • Implicit expectation of a quid pro quo from the PLWHA – mostly in the form of being ‘open’ • Lip service • Still an ‘us’ and ‘them’?......Over compensation or • under compensation

  11. A Good HR practice…..maybe? Providing PLWHA staff opportunities for learning and growth Shared confidentiality Sustained training and exposure to various aspects of the epidemic Vacancy ads should reflect the workplace policy … and present a preference for such experience… an encouragement Interviews for new position should include discussions on the interviewees consent to the policy and its implications Staff union should be sensitised to exceptionality of HIV and the possible needs of ‘claimants’.

  12. Some Areas that need effective advocacy Both interpersonally and institutionally! A better understanding of AIDS exceptionality Policy an how it works if the person is also member of a sexual minority? Policy an how it works if the person is also a sex worker? Policy an how it works if the person is also an ex- drug user? Policy an how it works if the person also lives with a disability? Improved, more encouraging, more friendly recruitment procedures

  13. Moving from…… Being only HIV sensitive To HIV competent

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