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The conference brought together more than 80 participants including religious leaders, representatives from the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, networks of people living with HIV in Asia, medical practitioners, health workers, grassroots social activists, and health-focused nongovernmental organizations from across Asia to identify priorities and strategies to combat HIV, address stigma and discrimination, and promote inclusion and acceptance of affected persons within diverse Asian communities.
Through interactive sessions, the programme provided practical training and disseminated information by facilitating intergenerational and interfaith discussions on HIV and AIDS.
With an estimated 6.7 million people living with HIV in the Asia-Pacific region, and high rates of new infections, the Christian Conference of Asia recognised the urgent need to advance faith-based responses in Asia which is a priority for the World Council of Churches
Dr Mathews George Chunakara, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia said: “Religious leaders are uniquely poised to break this silence by acknowledging suffering and reaching out with compassion to the excluded and rejected. They have the moral authority to end guilt, denial, stigma, and discrimination, and open the way to reconciliation and hope, knowledge and spiritual accompaniment for healing, prevention and care.”
The World Council of Churches was able to communicate with the conference regarding four soon-to-be-published theological manuals on HIV and mental health, HIV and migration, HIV prevention, and HIV among youth. The manuals cover identified gaps in the HIV responses by the faith sectors and demonstrate humanity, hope, love, and acceptance. Some of the conference participants will review and offer input into the draft manuals from the asian perspectives.
