Religious leaders regret stigmatising people with HIV

[Guest guest]

Religious leaders regret stigmatising people with HIV

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA aokwemba@...

Posted Friday, March 9 2012 at 22:30

In Summary

•Faith-based organisations vow to discard their strong-stance approach and adopt

a new way of fighting HIV prevalence after a joint meeting with government

representatives

Kenyan religious leaders have often viewed matters to do with HIV and Aids

through a sexual and moral lens.

Often taking a strong stance, the religious leaders have been known to reprimand

people living with HIV. Not any more.

A recent meeting bringing together Christian and Muslim religious leaders

acknowledged that this approach to fighting HIV prevalence in the country had

been wrong and that it had inflicted harm on the infected people.

The meeting, at a Nairobi hotel, agreed that the strong-stance approach had only

helped to alienate people living with HIV from the society.

In a 2012 report by National Aids Control Council (NACC), a copy of which

Saturday Nation has, the leaders admit that they need to do more to help reduce

the spread of HIV. (READ: Editorial: Right move by faiths in fight against HIV)

" We are concerned that for the last 27 years, we as religious leaders, have

perceived HIV and Aids as a sexual and moral issue leading to unintended stigma

towards individuals, families and communities in Kenya, " they say.

In the communiqué titled Declaration of Commitment by Religious Leaders on HIV

Prevention: Doing More and Doing Better Towards Zero New Infections, the leaders

add:

" This has contributed to stigma, shame, silence, denial, discrimination,

inaction, and mis-action that continue to undermine the national HIV prevention,

treatment and care efforts. "

Right move by faiths in fight against HIV

Catholic Church leaves many guessing

Jesus would give the youth suitable options, argues pastor

The leaders were drawn from the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the

Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the Anglican Church, the African Inland

Church, the Salvation Army, the Deliverance Church, the Evangelical Lutheran

Church, the Seventh Day Adventist church, the Friends Church and the

Presbyterian Church, among others.

They further acknowledged that matters of faith have sometimes led to

non-adherence to HIV treatment by those infected.

In their candid declaration, they recognised the existence of serious gender

imbalances and injustices, which were making women and girls bear the greatest

burden of HIV.

While faith-based organisations are implementing some HIV activities around

treatment and prevention, especially focused on abstinence, this is the first

time they have made, as group, an official and unequivocal declaration about

their actions in the fight against the disease.

It was also a defining moment as they have declared their strong commitment to

take part in broad programmes in the management of HIV and Aids.

An Action Plan for 2011-2012 details the various strategies the religious

leaders will use to roll out their activities.

They want to ensure that they are fully engaged in the prevention, treatment,

and care of people living with the virus and their families.

Among the activities will be integrating HIV in theological studies; training

religious leaders on sexuality issues; incorporating HIV information in their

sermons; and development of a policy that will protect worshippers from

mis-informed religious leaders.

Other strategies to be implemented this year include reviewing the theology

expressed in prayer, song, sermons and testimonies to promote what they call

" safer practices " , access to treatment and nutrition, voluntary, routine and

stigma-free counselling and testing and empowerment.

Religious leaders will also be expected to re-interpret the scriptures

liberally; to use spiritual and medical doctors to clarify facts; and to speak

openly about sexual and gender-based violence.

The government, on its part, wants religious leaders to speak with one voice on

HIV and Aids matters.

In this regard, the National Aids Control Council is in the process of signing a

memorandum of understanding with the religious leaders about their specific

actions on managing the disease.

" In 2011, we formed a think tank to advise on how faith-based organisations can

be used effectively to reach and reduce the rate of new HIV infection in

marriages and among young people, " says Dr Sobbie Mulindi, the NACC deputy

director who is coordinating the process of bringing on board religious leaders.

The need to engage the faith-based organisations was prompted by recent survey

findings which showed that more new HIV infections were occurring in married

couples than in any other grouping.

The religious organisations, which advocate sex only in marriage and are in

contact with a majority of the married couples, were identified as key in

helping reduce HIV infections in this group.

Religious leaders will be key in the anti-HIV fight. For many years, the leaders

have taken a stand that those who are found to be HIV positive were reaping the

sins of promiscuity.

Most of the infected people within the church and other religious groupings

were, therefore, stigmatised. They refused to go public about their HIV status

for fear of being disgraced.

This position by church leaders also made many people shun HIV testing, fearing

the backlash they might experience if they tested positive.

The use of condoms was also condemned; they were seen as encouraging immorality

among young people and in marriages.

Abstinence received plenty of attention, with sexually active young people being

asked to wait until they were married to engage in sex.

However, recent statistics that show that HIV infection is high among married

people than in other groups seem to have thrown the church off balance.

Marriage, an institution that was advocated for by the church as the best

assurance against infection, is now the leading driver of the disease, with 44

per cent of new infections being reported among married couples.

This rate is higher than the one reported among commercial sex workers (14.1 per

cent), men who have sex with men (15.2 per cent), and drug users (3.8 per cent),

who, when put together, are responsible for 33 per cent of new HIV infections.

In addition to HIV infections being high in marriages and among steady partners,

the church has been forced to reassess itself, especially after some religious

leaders and its followers declared publicly that they were HIV positive.

The Anglican Church, for instance, found out in a 2004 survey that 65,000 of

their adherents were living with HIV/Aids.

The church says in its ACK Mandate on HIV/Aids: " The church can no longer bury

its head in the sand while its own people are dying, suffering and caring for

their loved ones due to HIV/Aids. "

It is also instructive that some hospitals run by churches do care for people

living with HIV.

Last year, Pope Benedict XVI, the head of Catholic Church, made the strongest

indication yet about the church's changing view on condoms when he said the

contraceptives could be used in exceptional circumstances to reduce infections

among certain groups such as male sex workers.

His comments were captured in a new book, Light of the World: The Pope, the

Church and the Signs of the Times, written by a German journalist.

The Pope was, however, fast to add that a more humane attitude to sexuality, and

not condom use, was the proper way to combat HIV infection, according to BBC

News, Europe.

The change of heart by religious leaders is good news for HIV advocates, who

have constantly implored faith-based organisations to support all interventions

against the disease, including condom use.

Many of the advocates have argued that HIV is not about morality and that there

were other cultural, gender, environmental and religious factors that predispose

people to infection. Religious leaders, the advocates argued, should see the

disease from this perspective.

The NACC, too, realised that they would not achieve much in the fight against

HIV unless religious leaders, who command a massive following among the public,

were brought on board. It is estimated that over 80 per cent of Kenyans are

Christians.

Spreading the message

It is also acknowledged that the faith-based organisations have a major

influence on the behaviour, decisions and actions of its followers.

Having them as partners in the fight against the disease is a guarantee that the

message is going to reach many people.

" Religious leaders are very instrumental in offering effective HIV

Experts on HIV have for a long time argued that having religious organisations

on board would significantly reduce stigma, which is the main factor why people

fail to go for HIV testing, disclose their status, seek treatment or adhere to

their therapy, and engage in risky sexual behaviour.

In their declaration, religious organisations identified five key commitments.

One of them was to work with people living with HIV and Aids to eliminate

mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015.

They also vowed to adopt a faith and evidence-based non-stigmatising approach in

their fight against the spread of HIV.

In the declaration, the leaders planned to encourage their members to go for HIV

testing as a starting point for HIV prevention, care and treatment.

The leaders also vowed to enhance their advocacy for local financing of the

anti-HIV war.

To achieve all these, NACC plans to train religious leaders on HIV, basic

counselling skills and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).

Source:

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Religious+leaders+regret+stigmatising+people+with+H\

IV+/-/1056/1362930/-/item/3/-/ikj8eu/-/index.html

[Guest guest]

Religious leaders regret stigmatising people with HIV

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA aokwemba@...

Posted Friday, March 9 2012 at 22:30

In Summary

•Faith-based organisations vow to discard their strong-stance approach and adopt

a new way of fighting HIV prevalence after a joint meeting with government

representatives

Kenyan religious leaders have often viewed matters to do with HIV and Aids

through a sexual and moral lens.

Often taking a strong stance, the religious leaders have been known to reprimand

people living with HIV. Not any more.

A recent meeting bringing together Christian and Muslim religious leaders

acknowledged that this approach to fighting HIV prevalence in the country had

been wrong and that it had inflicted harm on the infected people.

The meeting, at a Nairobi hotel, agreed that the strong-stance approach had only

helped to alienate people living with HIV from the society.

In a 2012 report by National Aids Control Council (NACC), a copy of which

Saturday Nation has, the leaders admit that they need to do more to help reduce

the spread of HIV. (READ: Editorial: Right move by faiths in fight against HIV)

" We are concerned that for the last 27 years, we as religious leaders, have

perceived HIV and Aids as a sexual and moral issue leading to unintended stigma

towards individuals, families and communities in Kenya, " they say.

In the communiqué titled Declaration of Commitment by Religious Leaders on HIV

Prevention: Doing More and Doing Better Towards Zero New Infections, the leaders

add:

" This has contributed to stigma, shame, silence, denial, discrimination,

inaction, and mis-action that continue to undermine the national HIV prevention,

treatment and care efforts. "

Right move by faiths in fight against HIV

Catholic Church leaves many guessing

Jesus would give the youth suitable options, argues pastor

The leaders were drawn from the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the

Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the Anglican Church, the African Inland

Church, the Salvation Army, the Deliverance Church, the Evangelical Lutheran

Church, the Seventh Day Adventist church, the Friends Church and the

Presbyterian Church, among others.

They further acknowledged that matters of faith have sometimes led to

non-adherence to HIV treatment by those infected.

In their candid declaration, they recognised the existence of serious gender

imbalances and injustices, which were making women and girls bear the greatest

burden of HIV.

While faith-based organisations are implementing some HIV activities around

treatment and prevention, especially focused on abstinence, this is the first

time they have made, as group, an official and unequivocal declaration about

their actions in the fight against the disease.

It was also a defining moment as they have declared their strong commitment to

take part in broad programmes in the management of HIV and Aids.

An Action Plan for 2011-2012 details the various strategies the religious

leaders will use to roll out their activities.

They want to ensure that they are fully engaged in the prevention, treatment,

and care of people living with the virus and their families.

Among the activities will be integrating HIV in theological studies; training

religious leaders on sexuality issues; incorporating HIV information in their

sermons; and development of a policy that will protect worshippers from

mis-informed religious leaders.

Other strategies to be implemented this year include reviewing the theology

expressed in prayer, song, sermons and testimonies to promote what they call

" safer practices " , access to treatment and nutrition, voluntary, routine and

stigma-free counselling and testing and empowerment.

Religious leaders will also be expected to re-interpret the scriptures

liberally; to use spiritual and medical doctors to clarify facts; and to speak

openly about sexual and gender-based violence.

The government, on its part, wants religious leaders to speak with one voice on

HIV and Aids matters.

In this regard, the National Aids Control Council is in the process of signing a

memorandum of understanding with the religious leaders about their specific

actions on managing the disease.

" In 2011, we formed a think tank to advise on how faith-based organisations can

be used effectively to reach and reduce the rate of new HIV infection in

marriages and among young people, " says Dr Sobbie Mulindi, the NACC deputy

director who is coordinating the process of bringing on board religious leaders.

The need to engage the faith-based organisations was prompted by recent survey

findings which showed that more new HIV infections were occurring in married

couples than in any other grouping.

The religious organisations, which advocate sex only in marriage and are in

contact with a majority of the married couples, were identified as key in

helping reduce HIV infections in this group.

Religious leaders will be key in the anti-HIV fight. For many years, the leaders

have taken a stand that those who are found to be HIV positive were reaping the

sins of promiscuity.

Most of the infected people within the church and other religious groupings

were, therefore, stigmatised. They refused to go public about their HIV status

for fear of being disgraced.

This position by church leaders also made many people shun HIV testing, fearing

the backlash they might experience if they tested positive.

The use of condoms was also condemned; they were seen as encouraging immorality

among young people and in marriages.

Abstinence received plenty of attention, with sexually active young people being

asked to wait until they were married to engage in sex.

However, recent statistics that show that HIV infection is high among married

people than in other groups seem to have thrown the church off balance.

Marriage, an institution that was advocated for by the church as the best

assurance against infection, is now the leading driver of the disease, with 44

per cent of new infections being reported among married couples.

This rate is higher than the one reported among commercial sex workers (14.1 per

cent), men who have sex with men (15.2 per cent), and drug users (3.8 per cent),

who, when put together, are responsible for 33 per cent of new HIV infections.

In addition to HIV infections being high in marriages and among steady partners,

the church has been forced to reassess itself, especially after some religious

leaders and its followers declared publicly that they were HIV positive.

The Anglican Church, for instance, found out in a 2004 survey that 65,000 of

their adherents were living with HIV/Aids.

The church says in its ACK Mandate on HIV/Aids: " The church can no longer bury

its head in the sand while its own people are dying, suffering and caring for

their loved ones due to HIV/Aids. "

It is also instructive that some hospitals run by churches do care for people

living with HIV.

Last year, Pope Benedict XVI, the head of Catholic Church, made the strongest

indication yet about the church's changing view on condoms when he said the

contraceptives could be used in exceptional circumstances to reduce infections

among certain groups such as male sex workers.

His comments were captured in a new book, Light of the World: The Pope, the

Church and the Signs of the Times, written by a German journalist.

The Pope was, however, fast to add that a more humane attitude to sexuality, and

not condom use, was the proper way to combat HIV infection, according to BBC

News, Europe.

The change of heart by religious leaders is good news for HIV advocates, who

have constantly implored faith-based organisations to support all interventions

against the disease, including condom use.

Many of the advocates have argued that HIV is not about morality and that there

were other cultural, gender, environmental and religious factors that predispose

people to infection. Religious leaders, the advocates argued, should see the

disease from this perspective.

The NACC, too, realised that they would not achieve much in the fight against

HIV unless religious leaders, who command a massive following among the public,

were brought on board. It is estimated that over 80 per cent of Kenyans are

Christians.

Spreading the message

It is also acknowledged that the faith-based organisations have a major

influence on the behaviour, decisions and actions of its followers.

Having them as partners in the fight against the disease is a guarantee that the

message is going to reach many people.

" Religious leaders are very instrumental in offering effective HIV

Experts on HIV have for a long time argued that having religious organisations

on board would significantly reduce stigma, which is the main factor why people

fail to go for HIV testing, disclose their status, seek treatment or adhere to

their therapy, and engage in risky sexual behaviour.

In their declaration, religious organisations identified five key commitments.

One of them was to work with people living with HIV and Aids to eliminate

mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015.

They also vowed to adopt a faith and evidence-based non-stigmatising approach in

their fight against the spread of HIV.

In the declaration, the leaders planned to encourage their members to go for HIV

testing as a starting point for HIV prevention, care and treatment.

The leaders also vowed to enhance their advocacy for local financing of the

anti-HIV war.

To achieve all these, NACC plans to train religious leaders on HIV, basic

counselling skills and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).

Source:

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Religious+leaders+regret+stigmatising+people+with+H\

IV+/-/1056/1362930/-/item/3/-/ikj8eu/-/index.html