USING DATA FROM THE PLHIV STIGMA INDEX TO ADDRESS STIGMA IN THE WORKPLACE

AIDS 2012, Washington DC, US

22-27 July 2012

Jekaterina Voinova, Estonian Network of People Living with HIVJulian Hows, Global Network of People Living with HIV

Session Room 624 July 2012 – 14:30-16:00

THE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV STIGMA INDEX IN ESTONIA 2011

• Research conducted by Estonian Network of PLHIV, with technical

support from GNP+ and financial support from HIV in Europe.

• The founding partners of the PLHIV Stigma Index are:

– Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP +)

– International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW)

– International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

– UNAIDS

THE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV STIGMA INDEX IN ESTONIA 2011

• The research protocol approved by the Tallinn Medical Research Ethics Committee

• Basic tools - a structured questionnaire and informed consent form in Estonian and Russian languages

• Data collection period: November-December 2010

• Total sample: 300, including 24 prisoners living with HIV.

• Interviews were conducted in the male Tartu prison and the female Harku prison.

ACCESS TO WORK AND EDUCATION SERVICES

  Frequency %

Never 91 71Once 15 12A few times 20 15Often 3 2TOTAL 129 100

Lost a job or another source of income In the last 12 months

66% (n=199) of respondents were unemployed26% (n=88) are employed either part- or full-time with an additional 2% (n=5) describing themselves as self-employed6% (n=18) undertaking casual workThere are relatively more women than men among the unemployed (75%, n=83 compared to 61%, n=116)

Employment status

DECISIONS, RESIGNATIONS AND AVOIDANCES

In relation to study and employment: 8% (n=23) withdrew from education or training, 7% (n=21) decided not to apply for a job or a promotion because of their HIV status and 4% (n=13) gave up their job. 

FOOD SECURITY AND INSECURITY

Food shortages in the last month by sex and location of the respondents

'Serious shortage of food' - 3 or more days during last month respondents’ household did not have enough to eat.

TAKING ACTION• Initiative: “HIV is not spread by working”

• Our goal:

EHPV is looking for 100 companies in Estonia whose internal working climate and personnel policies do not discriminate against HIV-positive people. EHPV wants to publicize and promote these companies as ‘good employers’ to the HIV-positive community.

Diplomas with the sign: ‘Our company is friendly towards HIV-positive people’

HIV IS NOT SPREAD BY WORKINGPRESS CONFERENCE

31 May 2012 press conference and presentation of the initiative

Virtual introduction speech by Mr. Julian Hows (GNP+)

11 companies involved in the initiative and got diplomas, to be placed in their office reception or HR department

HIV IS NOT SPREAD BY WORKING

PLHIV can find list of companies that are ready to hire them on website www.ehpv.ee

Every company joined initiative has to put logo on their website, facebook, publications

THANKS

HIV in Europe supported the research undertaken

Technical support provided by GNP+ for the implementation of this research