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Two bi-regional programmes on Work and Health
… are taking place between Sweden and the SADC countries
in Southern Africa, and between Sweden and Central America. Here
a summary of the activities up to now.
- Feasibility studies were carried out in Southern Africa and
Central America in the end of the year 2000.
- A workshop was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in April 2001,
with participants from Southern Africa Development Community
(SADC) and Southern Africa, System for Central American Integration
(SICA) and Central America, Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (Sida), Swedish National Institute for Working
Life (NIWL) and Swedish National Institute for Public Health
(NIPH). It was agreed that the collaboration programmes should
be long-term programmes, for 12 years. Regional support for
national competence development and actions for change is the
main focus. The expected results by the end of the programmes
were discussed.
- A workshop was held in Lilongwe, Malawi, in September 2001.
It was organised by SADC Labour and SADC Health, with participation
from other SADC sectors, NIWL and NIPH. The outline of the Stockholm
workshop was discussed and accepted. Guidelines for the preparations
of a final application to Sida for the first four-year phase
of the Southern African programme was drafted.
- A workshop was held in San Salvador, El Salvador, in November
2001. It was organised by the Social Secretariate of SICA, with
participation from all seven countries of Central America, and
NIWL. The outline of the Stockholm workshop was discussed and
accepted. Guidelines for the preparations of a final application
to Sida for the first four-year phase of the Central American
programme was drafted.
- Sida and NIWL signed the contract for the first four-year phase of the Central American programme (SALTRA=Salud y Trabajo en Centralamerica) in November 2003. The programme was launched during a ceremony in Costa Rica in November 21st. Representatives of Sida, NIWL, NIPH, SICA, Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica, Universidad de Léon in Nicaragua participated, as well as other representatives from Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and Finland. For more information, see pages 29-36 of "OSH & Development" No. 5, December 2003 and pages 38-41 of "OSH & Development" No. 6, March 2005. After that the establishment of the programme infrastructure in the region took place and the activities of the different projects were carried out in agreement with the programme plan. During 2007 the first four-year phase of SALTRA was evaluated by external evaluators. It was stated that the objective of the first phase was met: a solid and well operating basis had been established for a long-term action program in occupational safety and health, and health promoting work. NIWL´s role as main Swedish partner was taken over by NIPH from March 2007 due to the closing of NIWL, and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) entered as a new Swedish partner. In September 2007 an application for the financing of the second four-year phase was submitted to Sida. Simultaneously the Swedish government decided upon a new policy for development cooperation with Central America. According to the new policy only Guatemala would remain as a Swedish partner in development cooperation. Sida therefore informed that no financial support can be given to SALTRA for a second phase. However, a "phase-out budget" was given for SALTRA by Sida, for financing activities during 2008 and 2009 to reduce the damage by the ending of the programme and to seek new sponsors for continuing the most important activities. In July 2010 the seeking of new sponsors has given a positive result, as the European Union invited SALTRA to sign a contract which will provide 1,5 million Euros (14 million SEK) for a second four-year of activities. More information in Spanish and English can be found at the homepage www.saltra.info
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The contract for the first four-year phase of the southern Africa programme (WAHSA = Work And Health in Southern Africa) was signed by Sida and NIWL in October 2004. The programme was launched during a ceremony in Botswana. Representatives of the Swedish Embassy, NIWL, NIPH, SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) among others participated. Due to problems to appoint a Regional Programme Director the establishment of the programme infrastructure did not start until almost a year later. The programme has now run for four years and an external evaluation was carried out in March 2008. There are beside the projects regarding building of infrastructure on different levels three major action oriented projects focusing silicosis, pesticides and small enterprises in the informal economy. NIWL´s role as main Swedish partner was taken over by NIPH from March 2007 due to the closing of NIWL, and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) entered as a new Swedish partner. Although the programme was initially decided to last 12 years, and the external evaluation recommended a continuation, Sida has decided to not support the programme for coming years. The main reasons for this is that health is not a prioritized issues anymore, and that Sida are minimizing its support to regional programmes in favour for bilateral ones. The Swedish ended May 31 2009. Resources are now focused upon finding other funders. More information is found at www.wahsa.net
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