The HIV pandemic continues to have a vast negative effect on many countries, hampering the economic development of some of the world’s poorest countries and leaving millions of children without parents.
So what is Christian Aid doing?
For a start, we address these issues at home, campaigning, educating and trying to ensure that it is given the necessary funding.
For example, our latest report, 'Not on an empty stomach' addresses the importance of nutritional support for those who are on antiretroviral (ART) therapy – the treatment for HIV.
We advocate and campaign on the basis of scientific evidence and our partners' experiences. With over 290 partners working on HIV in 40 countries, Christian Aid's well-placed to bear witness to HIV’s effects worldwide.
Christian Aid prioritises seven key areas of HIV work:
HIV work with and for young people
HIV in conflict areas, post-conflict areas and fragile states
orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV
community-based HIV care and prevention
stigma and discrimination
HIV work with faith-based organisations
HIV and nutrition/food security.
Where we do it
Christian Aid has more than 290 partners working on HIV in 40 countries. Of these, the vast majority are in sub-Saharan Africa, though we have numerous programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East. Back in the UK and Ireland, we do HIV work in the form of advocacy, campaigning, education and fundraising, both from donors like you and the large donors such as the British and US governments, the EU and the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria.
What you can do
Of course, you can donate – it’s easy. But you can do much more.
You can become involved in HIV campaigning, adding your voice to the thousands calling for justice for those affected around the world. Check out the website of the Stop AIDS Campaign (of which CA is a member) here: www.stopaidscampaign.org.uk
The most important tool in the fight against HIV is knowledge. People who know about HIV and can make informed decisions about sex and can protect themselves and others. It’s about abandoning ideology in favour of practical, accurate information about HIV – a virus, not a moral issue.
Christian Aid on the frontline:
In Matabeleland South, in Zimbabwe, we assist Christian Aid partner The Dabane Trust in addressing HIV care and nutrition, through training affected communities in specialised farming techniques.
This border district has one of the highest HIV rates in the country, and the Trust has responded by organising community workshops to create better understanding of HIV from all concerned – men, women and children – while dry land farming projects help villagers increase the productivity of their land.
Agricultural programmes prioritise food security for households, so that the most vulnerable people get a balanced diet. In an area of such high HIV prevalence, this means better care for the sick, and the possibility of better adherence for those on HIV treatment.
Fighting shame:
Another priority for Christian Aid is the stigma and discrimination that surround HIV – perhaps the greatest existing barrier to HIV work, because it affects opinions that impact on everything else we do.
One of our most important partners in this field is the International Network of Religious Leaders Living with HIV, or INERELA+. Faith leaders provide moral and ethical guidance to communities, and their public opinions can have enormous influence.
The failure of most faith leaders to speak openly, publicly and positively about HIV has hampered effective HIV prevention and care around the world. INERELA+ has been working to address this issue since 2003, so far mobilising more than 2,000 faith leaders with HIV to speak out and challenge stigma.
These leaders, men and women, come from different backgrounds and religions, including Anglicans, other Protestants, Catholics, Islamic leaders, Buddhists and Bihar leaders.
In Sudan, for instance, where HIV prevalence is increasing, a Muslim-Christian initiative, backed by an INERELA+, is addressing endemic and very powerful HIV stigma, and encouraging people to access voluntary HIV testing.