The construction sector is important in the southern African region both in terms of employment creation and its contribution to the economy. It accounted from between 2 to 6 percent of GDP in SADC member states in 2002/2003. Likewise, employment in the construction sector represents from 3 to 10 percent of total employment in SADC member states. Given that much employment in this sector is organised through casual contracts and subcontracting, actual employment is likely to be greater than that reflected in official statistics.  Although few studies have looked specifically at HIV prevalence and/or vulnerability in the construction sector, high HIV prevalence rates have been reported in and around construction sites.

 In Malawi, road construction has been linked to the spread of HIV, while in Lesotho, the Highland Water Project (Katse Dam) has contributed to an increase in STIs in the remote mountain areas. Some sources have indicated that the construction industry in South Africa has the third highest HIV incidence of the economic sectors in the country, after the mining and transport sectors. The nomadic “on-site” lifestyle of construction workers can heighten their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Living on-site in remote areas with few recreational facilities and away from families and support systems, they are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour as a relief from boredom and loneliness.

On a structural level, there is also limited policy development on HIV in the construction sector. This increases the risk of construction workers as it means there are few HIV interventions aimed at them.To reduce the HIV incidence and impact of AIDS among construction workers and their families in the southern African region PHAMSA is undertaking the following activites. 

In order to reduce the HIV incidence and vulnerability of workers in the construction sector, PHAMSA seeks to increase the awareness on the importance of addressing the HIV dynamics of labour migration in policies and strategies, among stakeholders in the construction sector. There has been limited policy development on HIV in the construction sector and limited regional and national policies in the construction industry in general. For example, there is no regional SADC protocol on the construction sector like there are SADC protocols for other sectors, such as mining, transport and tourism. Such a regional SADC protocol on the construction sector could include minimum standards of labour practices, and address health and HIV issues as well.

To address this and create a framework for sound policies on HIV and construction, PHAMSA has created the Regional Guidelines on HIV and AIDS in the Construction Sector in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region

• The guidelines were produced in consultation with stakeholders from the SADC Secretariat, SADC governments, trade unions, employer and employee organisations, NGOs, research institutions, donors and international organizations in the region. Specifically, the Guidelines aim to:
  
  1. Highlight and raise the awareness of stakeholders in the construction sector to the factors that increase HIV vulnerability among its workers;
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  2. Provide stakeholders in the construction sector with practical recommendations for action to address HIV vulnerability among their workers;
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  3. Provide stakeholders in the construction sector with tools to advocate for HIV and AIDS programmes and policies in the sector; and
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  4. Contribute to the development of regional/national policies on HIV and AIDS in the construction sector by policy makers making use of the recommendations from the Guidelines in regional/national HIV and AIDS strategic plans and policies.
  
• The Guidelines were developed through a participatory process of field visits, interviews with key informants and a consultative regional workshop, with support from the European Union (EU) Regional Funds, channelled through the SADC HIV and AIDS Unit.