National AIDS Control Council

 The Ministry of Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 convenes Pillar 2 due to its national coordinating role in all sector development plans, including the mother plan – Vision 2030. The co-convener of this pillar is NACC.

National Sectoral Mainstreaming of HIV Committee

This committee, established by NACC, coordinates all activities and programmes under Pillar 2. Committee members include line ministry representatives from the following key sectors:

1. Agriculture and Rural Development;
2. Trade;
3. Tourism;
4. Industry;
5. Infrastructure;
6. Environment;
7. Water and Sanitation;
8. Human Resource Development;
9. Research Innovation and Technology;
10. Public Administration;
11. Special Programmes;
12. National Security; and,
13. Governance, Justice Law and Order.

 Under Pillar 2, all existing national sector HIV coordinating bodies, such as AIDS Control Units (ACUs), are maintained and strengthened. Pillar 2 activities in this Strategic Plan are coordinated and managed by ACUs and Central Planning and Project Monitoring Units (CPPMUs) in line ministries. Under Pillar 2, line ministries share HIV resources and plans with districts, which are then be given Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIEs) from the Exchequer, including mainstreamed resources, such as those from TOWA disbursements and the Global Fund, among others, to undertake agreed HIV activities.

 District Technical Committee

The District Planning and Monitoring Unit coordinates all sector-based, district-level departments (ministries at the district level) involved in Pillar 2 through the existing District Technical Committee. Other members of the DTC are the private sector and civil society organizations. The DTC coordinates sectoral mainstreaming of HIV activities and programmes, as well as track results and performance. Staff from the DPMU are members of the District Health Sector HIV Coordination Forum to establish strong linkages at the district level between Pillars 1 and 2. CACCs and Community Partnership Forums interface with the DTC, which provides effective linkages between Pillars 2 and 3.

Priority Areas of Intervention

The areas of focus under sectoral mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS that have been agreed upon members of pillar 2 during the prioritization meeting are as follows:-

1. Social Protection
2. National Work Place Policy

 Social Protection Policy

This is a pro-poor growth strategy that will create strong incentives for investment, foster international economic development links, provide broad access to assets and markets and reduce risk and vulnerability. The underlying principle of this policy is to save lives at all costs. With the effective safety nets under Social protection, the government can encourage moderate risk –taking by the poor leading to high average income and hence shielding the poor from economic, social, environmental and political shocks.

As a national response, we have both direct and indirect costs of not investing in social protection if we want to improve quality of life as well as reduce the socio-economic impact of HIV at household and community level.

Objectives of Social Protection

1. Will assist individuals, households, communities to manage risk better
2. Will provide support to the critically poor

The following were given by pillar members as reasons for prioritizing Social Protection as a priority intervention fro Pillar 2.

1. This is going to contribute to the achievement of meaningful and sustained economic growth
2. It will provide for all Kenyan citizens against risk
3. All those within and outside the labour market will achieve secure livelihood by ensuring basic acceptable livelihood standards for all
4. It will spur activities (income-generating activities) that results in positive multiplier growth effects for the country
5. It helps in promoting social justice and equity
6. It will result in human capital for poor households and communities
7. It will ensure that people take economic risks to pursue livelihoods
8. It will ensure continuity in access for all to basic services necessary for developing human capital and meeting basic needs
9. Promote social cohesion and social stability
10. It will enhance livelihood security 

HIV and Workplace Policy

 1.       Preamble

 As a coordinating Agency for HIV and AIDS in this country, NACC is committed to the development of policies and implementation of programs by all workplace sites on HIV and AIDS non-discrimination, awareness, prevention and health support. While Government institutions, private sector institutions, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, have programs, activities that are based on as well as designed to meet their specific needs and objectives, the Workplace policy on HIV and AIDS applies to all those who work in these sectors. In this regard therefore, all players under the Sectoral Mainstreaming Pillar (Pillar 2) is expected to develop and review their workplace policies on HIV and AIDS that adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Non-discrimination
2. HIV –Testing , Confidentiality and disclosure
3. Promoting a safe work environment
4. Education & Awareness
5. Access to Treatment & Care
6. Implementation

2.     HIV and AIDS WORKPLACE POLICY – A SECTORAL MAINSTREAMING PERSPECTIVE

During the period under review of KNASP III, Pillar 2 will ensure that:-

All organizations provide a work environment for their employees’ that is free from harassment or discrimination. The pillar will follow on reports from the organizations which will be governed by the following principles:

1. That organizations (public & private) will not and do not discriminate against colleagues or applicants having perceived as having, living with or otherwise affected by HIV or AIDS
2. Those organizations (public & private) will treat HIV and AIDS the same as other illnesses in terms of all employee policies and benefits, including health and life insurance, disability benefits and leave of absence.
3. That all organizations will adhere to non-discrimination policy by reporting on incidences of either colleagues refuse to work with, withhold services from, harass or otherwise discriminate against another colleague because of him or her having HIV and AIDS, being perceived as having, living with HIV and AIDS, or being otherwise affected by HIV and AIDS. Organizations should indicate the corrective action taken in the event that any of these discriminatory practices are reported as having occurred in the organization
4. All ACUs in all the respective organizations (public, private, CSO, NGOs, FBOs, CBOs) should have an ‘open -door policy’ where those aggrieved can see them. They should also have a compliance hotline for those uncomfortable with open door policy to report their grievances
5. Every organization should encourage routine, confidential voluntary testing and counseling as part of its education and awareness programs. Every organization should be committed to promoting a safe work environment by providing a work environment that protects employees’ health and safety.
6. All AIDS Control Units (ACUs) in the respective organizations should make sure that all employees know the facts about HIV infection and AIDS so as to curb the tendencies of employees reacting negatively or inappropriately to a colleague’s illness.
7. All organizations should provide either directly or indirectly an integrated education and awareness program focusing on prevention.

NACC recognizes that some organizations because of size, geography, multiple lines of business or other issues may develop differing implementation schedules for the effectuation of the polices and programs outlined in this Statement but in no event however, is any organization or workplace exempt from the NACC’s commitment to HIV and AIDS non-discrimination, awareness, prevention and health support for the entire country’s human resource. To effectuate the purposes of this policy therefore through pillar 2, NACC will expect all ACUs to:-

1. Budget, design and implement an appropriate and effective program consistent with the overall national HIV and AIDS workplace policy that will devise the best way of effectively communicating the policy to the employees
2. Promote awareness of this policy through partnerships (private-public) in order to jointly pursue effective policies concerning HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and mitigation and share best practices within Pillar 2.
3. Regularly monitor and evaluate the HIV and AIDS workplace policy using the reporting format developed by NACC and report to the Pillar Oversight and Performance Monitoring Committee of Pillar 2 on a monthly basis.