Note to Editor: N/21/99
19 November 1999
BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services) --The UNDP/UNESCAP/UNAIDS Workshop on Reduction of HIV Vulnerability within the Land Transport Sector will be organized at the United Nations Conference Centre between 22-23 November 1999.
The two-day meeting is a participatory workshop designed to inform land transportation officials from governments, transport companies, workers' unions and non-governmental organizations on how they could contribute to the prevention of the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the land transport sector in this region. This will be accomplished primarily through the formulation of a concrete HIV policy framework for the land transport sector in South East Asia.
The HIV policy framework will subsequently be presented to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Committee on Transport, Communication, Tourism and Infrastructure scheduled to be held between 24 to 26 November 1999 for adoption.
Presentations will be delivered by representatives of several Asian organizations which have instituted HIV/AIDS intervention programmes that target those working and travelling within the land transport sector of Asia as follows:
* Mr. Anthony Pramualratana of Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) will give a presentation on their efforts to co-ordinate with the private sector in creating workplace HIV/AIDS awareness raising campaigns for employees in tourism and transportation;
* Mr. Steven Honeyman of Population Services International (PSI) will outline their methods for creating a positive social environment for use of condoms among long-distance truck drivers, taxi drivers, etc. through condom social marketing;
* Mr. Han Shu Rong from China Ministry of Railways will discuss the Chinese government's attempts to deal with HIV/AIDS vulnerability issues in the railway sector; and
* Dr. Krishnamurty from HIV/AIDS Prevention Along the Highway (PATH) will present on his organization's intervention program targeting populations which are vulnerable to HIV transmission and are travelling along the highway in Tamil Nadu province in India.
Presentations will conclude with South Africa railway which will also be invited to present their experiences in being the first country to develop a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy for the Transport Sector.
After having heard and discussed these various programme on the first day, the second day will consist of working group sessions in which the participants will build on these ideas for interventions in order to arrive at a general policy framework which can then be taken back by participating government officials to their respective national governments for concrete advocacy to create a national strategic plan for preventing the spread of HIV among land transport users and employees in their country.