Stakeholders have advocated for a strong legal framework and policies that will guarantee access to employment opportunities for young people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the country.
They made the call on Tuesday, during a Zoom meeting at the ongoing Civil Society Accountability Forum organised by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Youth Network on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
Speaking at the meeting, the National Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stressed the need for legal protection to curb stigmatisation and discrimination against persons with HIV in the workforce.
“We have a lot of people that are competent and very good, but because of their status, they are denied jobs.
“We will continue to engage and partner with all stakeholders to ensure the rights of young people with HIV are protected.
“I also encourage them to acquire skills to enable them to be self-reliant, rather than wait for white-collar jobs,” he said.
Ibrahim, however, encouraged persons with HIV to explore other means of job opportunities, rather than wait for white-collar jobs.
The HIV Technical Expert and Occupational, Safety and Health Coordinator, of ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra-Leone, Dr Runo Onosode urged youths living with the virus to key into digital transformation in line with global trends to enable them to get opportunities to thrive.
“I urge youths to harness digital economy with all the services Artificial Intelligence provides in terms of career development and opportunities,” she said.
The Acting Director Policy Planning & Coordination Department, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Yinka Falola said 300 cases of discrimination against persons with HIV were recently reported and 80 percent of them had been resolved.
“It is a work in progress to ensure we bring and remove all barriers affecting job opportunities for persons with HIV. We urge you to look into the opportunity of being an employer of labour.
“Know your rights and where to run to, when your rights are trampled upon, ” Folola stated.
The Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF, Steve Aborishade noted that the meeting will help to strategise means of enhancing structures and policies that will promote non-discrimination and equitable access to the labour market for young people, especially those living with HIV.
Aborishade stated that the meeting will also identify key barriers related to employment among Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV, and promote the establishment of economic empowerment and vocational skills development initiatives that are responsive to the needs of young people.
On his part, the Senior Programme and Evaluation Officer represented, Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS, Opeyemi Yekini, advised persons with HIV to report any incidence of discrimination and stigmatisation in the workforce.
