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Migration
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1. Preliminary Results of Study on Mandatory HIV Testing for Employment of Migrant Workers in 8 countries of SE Asia: An analysis of National Law & International Practice Dr. Nenette Motus, Regional Migration Health Manager, IOM
Ema Naito, Technical Officer, HIV/AIDS, ILO SRO-Bangkok
Joint WHO/UNICEF/UNAIDS consultation on scaling up HIV testing & counselling in Asia & the Pacific
2 June 2007, Phnom Penh
2. Migration & HIV/AIDS International Migration Trends 190.6 M migrants worldwide (2005 estimate, UN Population Division)
90 M of whom are estimated to be economically active (ILO)
Represents approximately 3% of world population (IOM WMR 2005)
48-50% are women
Almost all countries today are influenced by international migration
3. Migration & HIV/AIDS Regional Migration Trends Driven by disparities in development, demographics & globalization
Increased disparity in levels of development between countries
Labour & social-economic disparities
4. Migration & HIV/AIDS Key challenges Migrant workers when separated from spouses/family ? more vulnerable to risky behaviour ? higher risk of STIs, incl. HIV, & in the case of women, rape & unwanted pregnancies (Estrella-Gust, 2001)
Low priority given to personal health/safety
Lack of access to information/prevention, RH services, care, treatment & support
5. Migration & HIV/AIDS Key challenges (cont’d) Uncertain legal status ? lack of legal protection & more vulnerable to abuse & exploitation
Marginalization, stigma & discrimination
Migrants are unaware of legal & human rights and/or may not be able to enforce them
Conflict between labour & health policies
6. Migration & HIV/AIDS HIV-related travel restriction is imposed by certain states to:
Protect public health
Avoid excessive demands on health care/social services
However, mandatory testing has no public health value (WHO, UNAIDS)
Costly
Discriminatory
Can undermine PH efforts at HIV prevention/care
7. Migration & HIV/AIDS Migrants contribute to national revenue, labour supply, cultural diversity
Increased longevity with improved treatment ? increasingly difficult to be certain that migrants with HIV & AIDS are a “burden”
Yet, practice of HIV testing for migrant workers is wide-spread (limited data available)