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Faith’s role yet to be fully realised in HIV battle
The conference, held at Lambeth Palace, was the platform to launch a new report from the Faith Working Group of the AIDS Consortium, entitled "Keeping the Faith - Faith responses to HIV: Mapping the future".
It was attended by major faith-based organisations including CAFOD, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, the Salvation Army and Tearfund and was chaired by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev. Stephen Platten, who read a message of welcome from the Rt Rev. Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.
The International HIV Fund was represented by Operational Coordinator, Fatima Khanum, who commended the report and believes that organisations of all faiths should be actively encouraged to address the HIV pandemic.
"The report launched today shows that faith plays an important role in the lives of billions of people around the world and has the potential to play a crucial role in tackling HIV. Faith organisations have a unique perspective and an important relationship with their communities. By encouraging faith-based organisations across all faiths to get involved in addressing HIV this will open up an avenue to tackle the virus which has in the past been difficult to access. Furthermore, by challenging the misconceptions and misunderstandings that many have about faith institutions this can help to strengthen engagement and goals to make HIV and AIDS history."
Find out more about the International HIV Fund here. Download the report here.
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