Where does faith stand in relation to HIV?
An interesting session took place on July 17, 2010 at the Technical University of Vienna, Austria, as part of the Multi-Faith Pre-Conference to the XVIII international AIDS conference. The theme was “Created by God”: Exploring human dignity, equality and human rights in the context of HIV".
Participants were invited to reflect upon their common values as faith communities responding to HIV. How is a human rights discourse inspired and enhanced by discourses on human dignity and equality? How are these interconnections expressed and experienced in our communities as we respond to HIV?
Ms. Nuraan Osman of Islamic Relief began the session by reading Surah 2:159 from the Koran. Ms Osman pointed out that adhering to common values such as avoiding adultery, focusing on fidelity and respecting life, could lead to changes in sexual behaviors and an end to stigma, discrimination and misinformation.
Father Maxim, from the Russian Orthodox Church, said that life without dignity is sinful and destroys the human being and that human rights cannot be valued more than spiritual values.
Hendrica Okondo, World YWCA Programme Director for Africa and the Middle East, who was born Catholic and has experience in assisting people living with HIV and AIDS, continued the discussion by emphasising that HIV and religion are a very personal issues, and that the tendency to exclude others, as well as individual interpretations of the scriptures and the theology of sin, have led to stigmatisation, exclusion and suffering of people living with HIV and AIDS. Hendrica went on to explain that this has undermined the effectiveness of care, education and prevention efforts and thus inflicted additional suffering on those already affected by HIV.
In the light of these and many other challenges, including no access to education, she feels there are many valid reasons for creating a safe space for those living with HIV, namely, prevention, protection and assistance in accessing Sexual Rights and Human Rights (SRHR).
Ms. Okondo ended by saying taboos on the topic of sex and sexuality are not about people’s morals. In fact they sometimes promote hidden spaces where sexual abuse thrives and a culture of impunity prevails, leading to the stigmatisation of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls.
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