VZCZCXRO9868
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0778/01 1501201
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301201Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6156
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1025
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0151
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 7132
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5235
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000778 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS 
DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MCCARTER 
MCC FOR S. GROFF, D. TETER, D. NASSIRY AND E. BURKE 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON TBIO CE
 
SUBJECT:  SRI LANKA: NATIONAL DECLARATION ON PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS 
IN WORKPLACES 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: An International Labor Organization-initiated National 
Tripartite Declaration on Prevention of HIV/AIDS at workplaces in 
Sri Lanka was signed recently. Partners in this new program include 
government agencies, trade unions, trade chambers and employers. The 
Declaration describes plans to create awareness of HIV/AIDS in the 
workplace and reduce the social stigma attached to the disease. 
Although Sri Lanka is a low prevalence country for HIV/AIDS, many 
factors make it vulnerable to an outbreak of the disease.  Lack of 
resources could hinder full implementation of the program, though 
some progress has been made since the signing of the declaration, 
mainly due to ILO efforts.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Sri Lankan government ministries and agencies, chambers of 
commerce, trade unions, a tourist hotels association, and employer 
organizations signed a national declaration on prevention of 
HIV/AIDS in workplaces on April 3, 2007. The declaration endorses 
the guidelines of the International Labor Organization's Code of 
Practice in the World of Work. The signatory organizations have 
committed to establish HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs in 
workplaces and ensure zero tolerance of discrimination associated 
with the disease, both in the public and private sectors. 
 
SRI LANKA - LESS THAN 0.1 PERCENT INFECTED 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  Sri Lanka is a low prevalence country for HIV/AIDS, with less 
than 0.1 percent of the adult population infected.  However, Sri 
Lanka is vulnerable to an increased rate of HIV infection due to 
many factors including a large youth population, an increasing 
number of sex workers, internally and externally migrating 
populations, and large number of tea plantation workers lacking 
basic health education.  Lack of reliable data makes it difficult to 
predict changes in the rate of infection.  The possibility of the 
disease being transmitted rapidly within the country makes it an 
issue of national importance, deserving high priority within 
workplaces. 
 
COMMITMENTS MADE BY THE SIGNATORIES 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. The signatories to this declaration have made the following 
commitments: 
 
¶A. All signatories will: 
 
-- Establish a management team in conformity with ILO's Code of 
Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work 
 
-- Encourage formulating in-house policies and programs in keeping 
with the code of practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work and the 
national AIDS policy 
 
¶B.  Trade unions and employers organizations will take the lead in 
protecting workers and their families from HIV/AIDS. 
 
¶C.  The Ministry of Labor Relations and Manpower will: 
 
-- Educate its employees on HIV/AIDS and implement the Code of 
Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, both in the ministry and 
its associated agencies 
 
-- Encourage implementation of the code of practice on HIV/AIDS at 
all workplaces in the country 
 
-- Encourage HIV/AIDS education to prevent spread of the disease at 
workplaces, provide care and support for infected employees and 
maintain zero tolerance for discriminatory practices 
 
INITIAL ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT DECLARATION 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. The Declaration is being printed and will be widely disseminated 
among workplaces. So far, fourteen workplaces have signed the 
Declaration.  The ILO plans to conduct a workshop in June to develop 
an HIV policy for trade unions. Additionally, the Ceylon Chamber of 
Commerce has initiated an awareness program to reach 100,000 Free 
Trade Zone employees. 
 
¶6. Comment:  Financial and human resource constraints could hinder 
 
COLOMBO 00000778  002 OF 002 
 
 
successful implementation of the declaration.  The ILO is making 
commendable efforts with its limited resources to move this 
initiative forward.  However, success will require similar 
commitment by the trade unions, employers and government agencies to 
move the Declaration from paper into reality. 
 
BLAKE