Faith-Based Organizations Offer Important Assets to the Global HIV/AIDS Response
May 30th, 2005 by sfuqua
A new study from the Global Health Council cites collaboration between
religious and secular groups as enabling a more coordinated and rapid
expansion of HIV/AIDS programs and services. As of 2003, 40 million people
worldwide were estimated to be living with HIV; 3 million more are thought
to have died from HIV/AIDS that year, leaving behind orphaned families and
debilitated infrastructures
WASHINGTON, DC (Global Health Council) – April 14, 2004 – An
international
report released today offers the first systematic analysis of expert
opinion surrounding the role of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in response
to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Conducted by the Global Health Council and
commissioned by the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB),
Faith in Action explores both
secular and religious perceptions of faith-based efforts to mitigate the
impact of the disease and prevent new infections in some of the world's
hardest-hit nations.
"If the world's leading front-line experts in addressing AIDS were
assembled in one place, those interviewed for this study would constitute a
large share of this group," said Dr. Nils Daulaire, president and CEO of
the Global Health Council. "This groundbreaking study is designed to
create a sustained, meaningful and constructive dialogue between faith-based
and secular groups, all of whom must step forward if this disease is to be
contained and ultimately conquered."
Faith in Action analyzes expert
opinion from in-depth interviews with more than 200 decision-makers in Haiti,
India, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and Uganda and in the international
HIV/AIDS arena. Findings reveal the unique strengths, key constraints and
untapped potential of FBOs as they respond to the AIDS pandemic.
"While religious organizations have long delivered social, educational
and health services around the world, especially in poor countries, their
work has not been well-documented or evaluated," said John
("Jack") F. Galbraith, president and CEO of CMMB. "This report
echoes what faith groups working in the field have been saying about the need
for more resources to build capacity, and offers insight about how their
involvement in global strategies can be optimized."
Faith-based groups are recognized by leading authorities as having
significant assets, including extensive health and educational
infrastructures and a presence in even the most isolated communities, that
can be used to expand HIV prevention, care and treatment efforts.
Faith in Action provides a
foundation for dialogue on how faith-based contributions can be expanded and
improved.
Experts participating in the study urge FBOs to work with established
development and non-faith based organizations to document and evaluate the
effectiveness of their programs. They encourage faith-based groups to engage
persons living with HIV/AIDS in leadership roles within their programs and to
combat gender inequity through working directly with men as well as women. By
grounding their programs and actions in the best available scientific
evidence and collaborating with knowledgeable partners in all sectors,
faith-based groups can expand the already significant contribution they are
making to combat HIV/AIDS in these and other countries. To access
Faith in Action, please visit
http://www.globalhealth.org
