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Charles Ahiakou. © ALI II

Charles Ahiakou. © ALI II

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Churches in Togo have taken on a compelling fight against HIV and AIDS.  Sexual minorities, highly vulnerable to the pandemic, remain in dire need of pastoral care that encourages access to HIV prevention facilities, if their lives are to be saved.

It is essential to engage with sexual minorities in initiating dialogue on homosexuality to achieve “zero new HIV infections”, a goal set by UNAIDS.

Charles Ahiakou, 23 years old and a member of the MSM (men having sex with men) group, shared these views in a recent interview.

An active member of his church in Lomé, Ahiakou conducted several meetings attempting to raise awareness of HIV, homosexuality and homophobia in order to promote better health conditions for sexual minorities, as well as to eliminate social stigma and discrimination.

These meetings were held with support from the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA), a project of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Ahiakou said of the project, “EHAIA-initiated encounters have equipped us with skills to provide pastoral accompaniment to HIV infected people. They give us hope, opportunity to meet people, think and talk about our problems related to sex and sexuality, HIV and challenges of our everyday lives in Togo.”

In Togo, where same-sex activity is illegal, Ahiakou underlines that homosexuality is taboo.

“In the popular imagination, homosexuality does not exist. Due to such social perceptions MSM have difficulty in openly living their sexual orientation. Therefore they end up depriving themselves of access to HIV prevention, care treatment and pastoral counselling,” he added.

Ahiakou explained that in Togo MSM are forced to live in hiding and are grouped in closed, restricted and practically non-accessible networks. The majority of Togolese who accept that homosexuality exists still believe it to be a perverted practice, unworthy of a society which is conservative and upholds traditional values.

This cultural denial prevents open discussion of the realities of HIV and AIDS. In this situation HIV remains a threat to whole communities. The first seroprevalence study done in 2011 among the group of MSM in Togo reveals an HIV prevalence rate of 20.3%.

“This is why pastors in the churches must encourage an end to discrimination and advocate for tolerance, if the problem of HIV and AIDS is to be addressed effectively,” said Ahiakou.

Ending discrimination, encouraging tolerance

In meetings Ahiakou organized in Lomé, contextual Bible study was used to encourage an end to discrimination that comes with HIV and homosexuality, and to advocate for tolerance.

Churches can remain a focal point, he continued, where people living with HIV can be listened to, be accompanied and referred to medical centres, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“Do we not say that God is a God of forgiveness, and the one among us who loves his neighbour the most will inherit the kingdom of God?” Ahiakou asked. With this principle, it is crucial for church leaders to take up their responsibility in saving human lives, he said.

Ahiakou hopes for Christian values to be implemented in addressing HIV concerns. These values, he said, can inspire compassion and efforts to improve health conditions of sexual minorities.

Discussing his work with the EHAIA regional office for West Africa, Ahiakou mentioned a “sense of trust” among the ecumenical network, MSM groups and the non-governmental organizations.

“We have spoken about vulnerability of sexual minorities, HIV prevention, homophobia in African culture and religious communities, and the issue of discrimination,” he said.

These initiatives have helped MSM to understand and gain control over their sexuality amidst acute social stigma attached to homosexuality and HIV, stated Ahiakou.

Ahiakou concluded by saying his hope is that, through such initiatives, MSM like him will one day be able to receive health care and will not be forced to die in silence due to HIV and AIDS.

Doing Contextual Bible Study: A Resource Manual

Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa