Dialogue between religious leaders and people living with HIV
In March 2010 the World YWCA participated in the first global High Level Summit of Religious Leaders on HIV concluded in the Netherlands, along with high level religious and spiritual leaders from many of the world’s major religions and pledged “stronger, more visible and practical leadership in response to HIV”. This month as part of a follow-up from the summit, a survey has been released to gather information to develop and strengthen opportunities for dialogue between networks of people living with HIV and religious leaders, faith-based organisations, and faith communities at country level.
The concept of developing a framework for dialogue between religious leaders and people living with HIV networks at the national level has emerged as a first step in creating further such safe spaces for dialogue. Therefore, the survey aims to inform the development of the framework by gathering priorities for joint action, details of past or current collaborations/dialogues and lessons learned and recommendations for future work.
Background on the High Level Religious Leaders' Summit on HIV
World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda attended the High level summit of Religious leaders on HIV, speaking at the time she shared “As the pandemic becomes more feminised, it is important for religious leaders to build on the capacity and leadership of women and girls at the frontline of the HIV response. As a faith based organisation, we have an important role in providing health worldwide and this is critical for so many women and young women who urgently need support. The World YWCA calls on religious leaders to invest in women and girls, ensure the safety and security of women and girls and end stigma and discrimination that continues to drive the HIV pandemic.”
Religious leaders at the High Level Summit also drafted and personally signed a pledge to commit themselves to strengthened efforts to respond to HIV. The pledge includes “deepening meaningful engagement with people living with HIV” and “acting decisively to protect human rights within my faith community; through collaboration among other religious leaders of different faiths; and by influencing local, national, regional and global decision-making processes on HIV.“ During the Summit, participants affirmed in their concluding statement the "renewed sense of urgency" to prioritize and strengthen the response to HIV. Such a response includes "holistic prevention" in addition to reaching universal access to treatment, care and support. The statement called for the "universal respect for the human rights of all people living with and affected by and at risk of HIV infection" and the "respect for the dignity of every human being".
Summit participants, including World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda also drafted and signed "Together We Must Do More: My Personal Commitment to Action" , which not only detailed a series of commitments but set out a timeline for periodic reporting every 18 months on how each signatory has sought to fulfill the Personal Commitment. As a movement the World YWCA is committed to ensuring that women, young women and girls are empowered and have the freedom to express their Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights (SRHR) and lead a life free from violence and HIV infection.
The survey has been developed by the Strengthening Religious Leadership Multi-Faith Working Group convened by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), in collaboration with the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), the International Network of Religious Leaders Living with and affected by HIV (INERELA+) and UNAIDS.
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