Anti-Discrimination Campaign to Commemorate World AIDS Day

Chennai, December 4: To mark World AIDS day, the U.S Consulate General in Chennai in association with Confederation of Indian Industry, Tata Consultancy Services, Indian Network of Positive Persons and Agnes School of Leadership conducted a signature campaign to prevent job discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS. The launch of the program held on December 3 at TCS included presentations by persons living with HIV/AIDS who have suffered from discrimination at their workplaces, a moving skit and presentations on tackling discrimination in the workplace.

The objective of this initiative for World AIDS Day is to demonstrate that a person who is HIV positive or has AIDS can continue to be a productive employee. In addition to prevention and treatment, integrating those living with HIV/AIDS (over 2.3 million in India alone) into mainstream society and guaranteeing their ability to earn a living to support themselves and their families is a crucial next step.

Mr. Senthil, a person living with HIV/AIDS narrated his appalling story of society’s reaction to his HIV infection, including his loss of his job and ostracism. Representatives from INP+, an advocacy organization for people living with HIV/AIDS, encouraged adoption and implementation of anti-discrimination workplace policies by highlighting the struggle of a constable in Karnataka who successfully remained on the job after INP+ intervened. The Head of Corporate Affairs of Scope International Ms. Shashi Ravichandran offered the services of Scope’s peer educator’s program to all corporate interested in adopting anti-discrimination policies. This program educates the staff and workers of Scope about HIV and AIDS during their induction training to ensure that PLHIVs are not stigmatized and discriminated.

The U.S. Mission in India’s anti-discrimination policy which applies to workers in the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and the 5 U.S. Consulates across India includes the following:

• The U.S. Mission shall protect the confidentiality of employees’ medical information.
• To prevent work disruption and rejection by co-workers of an employee with AIDS or HIV infection, the U.S. Mission shall undertake education of all employees.
• Mandatory HIV testing shall be prohibited for LE Staff or job applicants.
• U.S. Mission employees with HIV infection or AIDS shall be given the same rights, benefits, and opportunities as employees with other serious illnesses.
• The highest levels of Management shall unequivocally endorse nondiscriminatory employment practices and the Mission shall provide education and programs to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS.
• The U.S. Mission shall communicate HIV/AIDS workplace policies and practices to employees in simple, clear and unambiguous terms and shall provide employees with sensitive, accurate, and up-to-date information about risk-reduction in their personal lives.