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As they met with the staff from the World Council Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme, religious leaders in Uganda realized they are well-placed to empower adolescents and young people with knowledge and skills to negotiate issues relating to sexuality.
The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda met with WCC staff and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization representatives in Kampala on 19-20 June.
Rev Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy regional coordinator, and Prof. Ezra Chitando, theology consultant, undertook the learning and networking visit to Uganda with Dr Patricia Machawira, a United Nations regional HIV and Health Education advisor for Eastern and Southern Africa. Their aim was to mobilize religious leaders to be more actively engaged in addressing adolescent and youth sexuality in the region.
The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda is an indigenous, national faith-based organization uniting efforts of religious institutions to jointly address issues of common concern. One such major concern has been how to mobilise religious leaders to play an effective and empowering role in accompanying adolescents and young people as they negotiate various challenges in life, including issues relating to sexuality.
“We deeply appreciate the engagement with WCC and are looking forward to closer collaboration in addressing adolescent and youth sexuality in Uganda,” said Dr Joseph Serwadda on behalf of the council. It was noted that adolescents were receiving contradictory messages regarding sexuality.
Participants at the event attended the training of the religious leaders from diverse communities who interact with adolescents and youth. A capacity-building retreat was held for school chaplains, school imams and sheiks from West Nile and Northern Uganda to build their capacity in responding to gender-based violence, and HIV and AIDS prevention, as well as advocacy. “Chaplains can equip adolescents and youth in school and out of school to address various challenges effectively,” Machawira noted.
Learn more about WCC's work on Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy (EHAIA)
