A new International Labour Organization (ILO) report launched on 1 December shows that workplaces are proving vital in closing HIV testing gaps among men, while advancing inclusive health and wellness for all workers through its Voluntary Counselling and HIV Testing for Workers (VCT@WORK) Initiative.
The report, which was launched on World Aids Day and is titled "Reducing the HIV testing gap in men: Voluntary counselling and HIV testing for workers" finds that between 2021 and 2024, the ILO's VCT@WORK, working with partners around the world, reached nearly 2.5 million workers with HIV-related information and enabled 1.5 million voluntary HIV tests. Of these, 1.1 million were men - a critical step toward narrowing gender disparities in HIV diagnosis. A total of 48,616 workers (37,435 men, 11,182 women) who tested positive for HIV were referred to access life-saving antiretroviral treatment.
Globally, men remain behind women in HIV outcomes: only 84% of men living with HIV know their status compared to 92% of women; 73% of men are on treatment compared to 83% of women; and just 69% of men on treatment have suppressed viral loads compared to 79% of women, according to the 2025 UNAIDS Global AIDS Update.
"The VCT@WORK initiative shows that the workplace is a vital entry point for the fight to end HIV. This initiative helps to empower workers and help them stay healthy, including those who test positive. The initiative also incorporates measures to prevent and address gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination, while supporting health, dignity, and inclusion at work." said Chidi King, Chief of Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the ILO.
From mining workers in South Africa to migrant workers in India, refugees in Cameroon, persons with disabilities in Mozambique, and truck drivers in Kenya, the report highlights how VCT@WORK reaches populations often excluded from health services.
HIV self-testing is especially valued by workers in the informal economy for whom attending health facilities often entails significant opportunity costs.
Going for an HIV test was difficult for me. HIV self-testing made it convenient. It also ensures confidential. All truckers should join an HIV self-test drive," said a truck driver from Kenya.
Implemented in line with the ILO's Recommendation No. 200 on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, the initiative guarantees confidentiality, non-discrimination, and voluntary participation. Rights-based workplace policies, trained peer educators, and committed management have been central to building trust and uptake.
By embedding HIV testing within broader workplace equality, health and social protection programmes, the initiative has reduced stigma and extended access to essential services. In India, for instance, an ILO project which helped construction workers register with the construction workers' welfare board at state level also gave the workers access land at concessional rate.
"I lost all hopes when I was detected positive for HIV but due to counselling and treatment I am working again. Having an E Nirman card (E construction card) helped me immensely. I got a land to construct my own house. All this happened due to correct information given to me at the right time," said a construction worker from Gujarat, India.
Beyond HIV, VCT@WORK has pioneered integrated health testing, including for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. Employers have welcomed this holistic approach as part of workplace wellness, keeping workers healthy and productive.
By embedding HIV and NCD testing within workplace wellness and social protection, the ILO's VTC@WORK shows how rights-based approaches to work places are gateways to sustainable livelihoods, health, dignity, resilience, and a path to ending AIDS as a public health threat.
