South African Anglican leader says AIDS stigma must go
-04/12/05
More effective leaders
South African Anglican leader says AIDS stigma must go
-04/12/05
More effective leadership to fight AIDS is desperately needed as the ‘second wave’ of the diseases hits NGOs and faith-based organizations, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town has stated in the wake of World AIDS Day last Thursday.
He declared that combating prejudice and fear ought to be a major component of the Anglican Churchís contribution to the struggle. The AIDS stigma must go, said the Metropolitan of the Province of Southern Africa.
Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane pointed out that according to the United Nations 2004 Global Report on the AIDS pandemic, Southern Africa as a whole remains the worst affected sub-region in the world.
His own country continues to have the highest number of people living with
HIV (most of them women) on the planet. And the latest data suggests that prevalence levels are still increasing in all age groups, except for pregnant women over 40 years.
In a move that will be seen as critical of South African president Thabo Mbekiís questioning of orthodox medical opinion on the issue, the Archbishop says that HIV infection is now breaking out as full-blown AIDS in many cases, leading to a huge death rate as the ësecond wave of the disease hits home.
He claims that hospitals and the NGO community are, in many cases, ill-supported for what is beginning to hit them.
ìIn response to this pandemicî, the Archbishop explained, ìthe Anglican Church has introduced youth health and sexual education programmes; training clergy, lay leaders and youth leaders to educate communities about abstinence, HIV prevention, reproductive and sexual health, and life and parenting skills; and increasing the number of couples participating in pre-marriage counselling.î
He continued: ìWe are also stimulating broad community discourse on stigma reductionÖ avoidance of risk behaviours, and the importance of HIV/AIDS testing through theology developed to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS; assessment of the church’s involvement in voluntary counselling and testing services and implementing appropriate models; and increasing effective linkages with other faith and community-based organisations as well as government agencies and private sector organizations.î
Attacking the fear and prejudice that surrounds the disease, Archbishop Ndungane declared: ìWe believe all humans are equal. We are brothers and sisters. Thus, we should treat each other with mutual care and respect regardless of social status, faith, gender or life style. We are striving to break the silence and emphasise that God does not discriminate between those who are HIV positive and those who are HIV negative. The fight against stigma is the Anglican Church’s main focus this AIDS day.î
Turning to the political and economic commitment needed to fight HIV/AIDS, the Archbishop said: ìWithout true leadership we will continue to strive to make an impact on the lives of the HIV and AIDS-affected individuals within our communities, but many will continue to fall through the cracks.î
Unless government becomes fully involved in the battle against AIDS, the stigma surrounding the disease will continue, the death toll will increase, more children will be left without care, our economy will suffer and the memory, identity and – most of all – hopes of our communities will be irreparably damagedî, he concluded.
Meanwhile the Vatican has been under fire for cancelling the performance of a musician before the Pope after it was revealed that he promoted condom use.
The Catholic Churchís hard-line anti-contraception policy has been criticised as inhumane, life-threatening and morally culpable, and some leading church figures say that in the face of the inescapable fact of AIDS it has to change.
Among these has been Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndunganeís famous predecessor Desmond Tutu.
When a row broke out over Tutuís criticisms last year, the Metropolitan said: “The Anglican Church in Southern African appreciates very warmly the tremendous work being done by the Catholic Church in the fight against HIV and AIDS.”
Seen as a progressive, the Archbishop of Cape Town has vigorously opposed hate speech and harassment against homosexuals. But he has also upheld the predominant view of the Church against the new South African gay marriage law.
[Also on Ekklesia: Faith groups prepare for World AIDS Day; UN and churches push for more AIDS drugs; World leaders failing global poor, says Christian Aid; Gordon Brown’s Africa debt action inspired by church; G8 urged to put money where their mouth is]
South African Anglican leader says AIDS stigma must go
-04/12/05
More effective leadership to fight AIDS is desperately needed as the ‘second wave’ of the diseases hits NGOs and faith-based organizations, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town has stated in the wake of World AIDS Day last Thursday.
He declared that combating prejudice and fear ought to be a major component of the Anglican Church’s contribution to the struggle. The AIDS stigma must go, said the Metropolitan of the Province of Southern Africa.
Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane pointed out that according to the United Nations 2004 Global Report on the AIDS pandemic, Southern Africa as a whole remains the worst affected sub-region in the world.
His own country continues to have the highest number of people living with
HIV (most of them women) on the planet. And the latest data suggests that prevalence levels are still increasing in all age groups, except for pregnant women over 40 years.
In a move that will be seen as critical of South African president Thabo Mbeki’s questioning of orthodox medical opinion on the issue, the Archbishop says that HIV infection is now breaking out as full-blown AIDS in many cases, leading to a huge death rate as the ësecond wave of the disease hits home.
He claims that hospitals and the NGO community are, in many cases, ill-supported for what is beginning to hit them.
‘In response to this pandemic’, the Archbishop explained, ‘the Anglican Church has introduced youth health and sexual education programmes; training clergy, lay leaders and youth leaders to educate communities about abstinence, HIV prevention, reproductive and sexual health, and life and parenting skills; and increasing the number of couples participating in pre-marriage counselling.’
He continued: ‘We are also stimulating broad community discourse on stigma reductionÖ avoidance of risk behaviours, and the importance of HIV/AIDS testing through theology developed to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS; assessment of the church’s involvement in voluntary counselling and testing services and implementing appropriate models; and increasing effective linkages with other faith and community-based organisations as well as government agencies and private sector organizations.’
Attacking the fear and prejudice that surrounds the disease, Archbishop Ndungane declared: ‘We believe all humans are equal. We are brothers and sisters. Thus, we should treat each other with mutual care and respect regardless of social status, faith, gender or life style. We are striving to break the silence and emphasise that God does not discriminate between those who are HIV positive and those who are HIV negative. The fight against stigma is the Anglican Church’s main focus this AIDS day.’
Turning to the political and economic commitment needed to fight HIV/AIDS, the Archbishop said: ‘Without true leadership we will continue to strive to make an impact on the lives of the HIV and AIDS-affected individuals within our communities, but many will continue to fall through the cracks.’
Unless government becomes fully involved in the battle against AIDS, the stigma surrounding the disease will continue, the death toll will increase, more children will be left without care, our economy will suffer and the memory, identity and – most of all – hopes of our communities will be irreparably damaged’, he concluded.
Meanwhile the Vatican has been under fire for cancelling the performance of a musician before the Pope after it was revealed that he promoted condom use.
The Catholic Church’s hard-line anti-contraception policy has been criticised as inhumane, life-threatening and morally culpable, and some leading church figures say that in the face of the inescapable fact of AIDS it has to change.
Among these has been Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane’s famous predecessor Desmond Tutu.
When a row broke out over Tutu’s criticisms last year, the Metropolitan said: “The Anglican Church in Southern African appreciates very warmly the tremendous work being done by the Catholic Church in the fight against HIV and AIDS.”
Seen as a progressive, the Archbishop of Cape Town has vigorously opposed hate speech and harassment against homosexuals. But he has also upheld the predominant view of the Church against the new South African gay marriage law.
[Also on Ekklesia: Faith groups prepare for World AIDS Day; UN and churches push for more AIDS drugs; World leaders failing global poor, says Christian Aid; Gordon Brown’s Africa debt action inspired by church; G8 urged to put money where their mouth is]