U.S. Labor Department Awards $9 Million Grant to International Labor Organization to Fight HIV/AIDS in the Workplace

WASHINGTON—U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced a $9 million grant to the International Labor Organization (ILO) to implement workplace-based HIV/AIDS programs around the world.

In addition to being a serious health issue, HIV/AIDS is also an economic issue, said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. Because the rate of infection is highest among the working-age population, this disease has a significant impact on the worldwide labor force.

According to the ILO, as many as 28 million workers worldwide have been lost to HIV/AIDS since the start of the epidemic. At the current rate of infection, we will face both an economic and humanitarian crisis as the global workforce is affected, causing economic growth to slow and increasing poverty around the world, said Chao.

The grant, which is awarded by the Department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), is part of an on-going initiative to help stem the epidemic by using the workplace as a venue for education and prevention efforts. The Department is also focusing its efforts on working with governments, workers, and employers to decrease employment discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS so that people may be encouraged to seek voluntary counseling, testing and other services without fear of losing their jobs.

The new $9 million grant will be used to fund programs in countries that are facing or anticipating significant rates of infection. These countries include Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago.

ILAB has been funding international workplace-based HIV/AIDS projects since 2000 and has dedicated a total of $42 million to the initiative. It is currently funding projects in more than 25 countries around the world.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.