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HIV toolkit to raise awareness among truckers
11 April 2008
The first ever sector-specific HIV toolkit, designed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among truckers, was launched earlier this month.
The initiative, led by the ITF, the International Road Transport Union and the International Labour Organization (ILO), aims to assist truckers in their struggle against HIV/AIDS. The decision to develop the resource was made 18 months ago at an ILO tripartite conference.
The toolkit was last year presented to two tripartite validation workshops, one in Kampala, Uganda, and one in Moscow, Russia. Feedback from the workshops informed the development of the materials.
The toolkit includes a trainers’ manual, a course for management personnel of road transport firms; an awareness raising and advocacy course for transport workers and a DVD promoting the materials and other training opportunities on offer.
Dr Asif Altaf, ITF Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator, commented: “Hopefully this toolkit will help unions representing international drivers to integrate HIV/AIDS programmes into their core activities. We believe that the toolkit can make a difference by raising awareness of the risks and helping to keep truckers and their families healthy and safe from HIV/AIDS.”
Mac Urata, ITF Inland Transport Section Secretary added: “Mobility and long absences from home make international drivers vulnerable to HIV infection but little attention has been paid to reducing that vulnerability. Without the active involvement of transport workers and their unions, it is impossible to develop a viable response to the pandemic. The toolkit, we hope will help facilitate that response.”
Distribution of the toolkit – currently only available in English - is limited to road transport affiliates. To order a copy email: education@itf.org.uk.
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