FAITH COMMUNITIES IN ACTION AGAINST HIV/AIDS

Major gains have been made in Uganda in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In 1993, 30% of the population was HIV-positive - the highest rate in the world - but by 2003 this rate had dropped to only 6,5%. In part, this has been achieved through government information campaigns, prevention work done by community groups and support from Christian and Muslim faith communities who have worked together to help decrease stigma and increase support around HIV/AIDS.

In South Africa, there is a growing movement of inter-faith mobilisation to address the epidemic in many provinces. Early in May this year, an indaba of FBOs gathered in Durban to report on their projects and share ideas for ongoing work to ensure healthier communities. The members of the African Forum for Faith-based Organisations in Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS affirmed their commitment to strengthen community resources, obtain and pass on accurate information, reduce stigma and discrimination, influence policy and amplify the call for access to treatment and care for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

At the Conference held at the Durban Jewish Club, representatives of the African, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish and Ba'Hai religions shared their spiritual and practical approaches to the epidemic and its challenges for their congregations and communities with Christian leadership from all denominations. All were united in their desire to take action against HIV/AIDS with unconditional love, compassion, responsibility and dignity as their guiding principles, and to demonstrate that these values can and should be upheld in discussing the traditionally suppressed subjects of sexuality and death more openly.

Much hands-on work is being done by different religious organisations. This work includes skills development, grief and trauma counselling, parenting classes and family focus groups, fundraising, volunteer co-ordination, training materials, awareness events, orphan support, assistance with social grants access, income generation projects, stress management, peer education, building of facilities, home-based care and care of the caregivers.

The reports had in common the goal of ensuring proactive, participative and productive responses to the epidemic. They proved what Methodist Bishop Mvume Dandala, incoming President of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC - based in Nairobi) said recently: "We have to have a focus which says: we will defeat this community by community...village by village, school by school. There is no other way you can bring transformation."

Moulana Faizel Khan commented at the Forum: "One's relationship with God is not merely a dutiful, service-based worship in a house of God. It means caring about and helping to rejuvenate all of God's creation and teaching others to do so as well."

The Conference delegates agreed that strong, mutually respectful partnerships between the various faiths would break down old divisions and clear the way for an open-minded and open-hearted stand against HIV/AIDS.

For more information about the KZN Interfaith Forum, contact:
Ms Saydoon Nisa Sayed
Vice-chair: World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP)
44 Old Fort Road, Durban - 4001
Tel/Fax: (031) 332 7216
Email: [email protected]

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