Mobilising the church to respond to HIV and AIDS

Mobilising the church to respond to HIV and AIDS

Working together• Church is a major

element of the response• Significant issues remain

to be resolved• Development agencies

have a growing awareness of FBOs

• We are still not working together well

Objectives of the session• Understanding the role of the church in

responding to HIV and AIDS• Debating the ways to further unlock the

potential of 2 billion Christians worldwide• Discussing how the church can work with

donors, governments and other agencies to improve the effectiveness of all partners

Tearfund

• Christian relief and development agency

• Working with over 300 partners worldwide. 32 partners are here in Toronto

• New strategy is leading to significant scale up on HIV and AIDS

Outline of the session1. Andy Bowerman: The Comparative advantage of the Church 2. Veena O'Sullivan: The struggles of the church in responding

to HIV and AIDS 3. Peter Okaalet: Donor support for church based responses in

HIV and AIDS 4. Donald Mavunduse: Recommendations and proposed action

5. Discussion

6. Andrew Tomkins; Rapporteur

Andy Bowerman: The Comparative advantage of the Church

Capturing the reality The Christian church in Africa

– Size, growth, membership and identity

The church; some definitions– Church– Congregation– Co-ordinating body– Development agency– Christian CBO

Key characteristics of the church’s response

Reach– Ethiopian Orthodox Church; 35,000

parishes, 500,000 Clergy

Motivation– “As a church we had to do something”

Key characteristics of the church’s response

Sustainability– “NGOs pack up their work after

programmes finish, churches will never leave the community”

– “Life is a journey that must take time”

Key characteristics of the church’s response

Shaping attitudes and behaviour– Directly or indirectly influence – Understanding context and values

Shared values with those affected– Significance of faith across Africa – Prayer and messages of hope

Distinctiveness

What drives you?– Church exists to

honour God,

People – Shepherd seeking

the one and leaving the 99 behind

Veena O'Sullivan: The struggles of the church in responding to HIV and AIDS

We the Church were not prepared.

HIV and AIDS forces us to look at our broken foundations.

The expectations are overwhelming.

Our best stories are often hidden.

Do you understand our language, our diversity?

Peter Okaalet: Donor support for church based responses in HIV and AIDS.

The church, international development agencies and the response to AIDS so far

Agencies acknowledge the church, but engagement is patchy

They do not understand each other enough

Cooperation between the church and other organisations

Many church leaders suspicious of non-Christian organisations

Serious implications for coordination and planning around national and local strategies

Involvement of the church in the development and implementation of national plans Community- and faith-based organisations are key

stakeholders for implementing national plans of action for children affected by HIV and AIDS

However only limited involvement in their development

Work of churches largely hidden from view of international and national decision-makers

Speaking out

International development agencies looking to civil society in the South to speak out about AIDS

Church is well positioned to contribute to this

Church needs to be challenged to do more to hold governments accountable

Monitoring and evaluation ‘There is a paucity of quality data available. The

programmes are there but documentation is a problem.’

Lack of documentation fuels the concerns of

international development agencies around quality

International development agencies and the church – challenges• Faith groups are not just development agents • Church has not always understood the international

development agencies • Challenges to an expanded relationship in the context

of the church in Africa include: motivation, time frame, perceptions, needs

Conclusions – time to work together

‘If you want to go fast, then go alone. If you want to go far, then you must go together’ - African proverb

Much more could, and should, be done International development agencies and the church

must address their differences and suspicions so that they can work together more effectively

Donald Mavunduse: Recommendations and proposed action

Recommendations

Better Understanding of Roles by Churches and International Development Agencies Churches: appreciating inroads made by

International Development Agencies on standards and urgency in responding to HIV and AIDS

International Development Agencies: Be faith literate”;” and understand…

Develop Partnerships

In prevention, treatment, care and support and advocacy

Resource, Encourage and Support International Development Agencies: Review

and adapt mechanisms for disbursing resources

Churches: Ensure International Development Agencies can easily do business with churches

Introspection on both sides

Church: Have courage to review `views on gender, sex and stigma

International Development Agencies: Need to be open to challenge on its own values and messages

Strengthen the voice of those affected through advocacy Churches: Speaking up for justice requires

engagement with International Development Agencies and governments

International Development Agencies: Recognize that Churches can have an authentic voice of those affected.

(From policies to practice and practice to policy)

Finally..In trying to help people that we care about we will spend a great part of the journey in the pursuit of objectives that makes tangible differences. Churches and International Development Agencies walking together will go a long way to make long lasting changes in people’s lives.