As members and collaborators of Youth Alive and Education for Life[i] in 25 African countries we listened attentively to the troubling trends of the HIV Pandemic and its impact on individuals, families and communities throughout the continent of Africa and elsewhere in the world:

40% of new infections are among the youth

The wave of infections caused by multiple concurrent partners

For every 2 people on ARVS, 5 new people become infected

Only 40% of the people living in developing countries and who need ARVs can access them, and only 20% of children living with HIV have access to these medications

 

These latest statistics are alarming after almost 30 years of global efforts to curb the rate of infection.

 

The purpose of the conference was to reflect on our concerns, experiences and challenges faced in HIV& AIDS prevention. Among the many distinguished speakers was Monsignor Robert Vitillo, special advisor on HIV&AIDS for Caritas Internationalis from Geneva, Switzerland.

 

Issues discussed included the root causes of vulnerability to HIV infection such as multiple, concurrent sexual relationships; alcohol and drug abuse; human trafficking; poverty, conflict, and unequal treatment of women.   Our strategy impacts greatly on these root causes as our approach is a value based group counselling process, promoting abstinence, faithfulness, responsible choices, character formation and ongoing support.

 

Under the theme AIDS Prevention: Our Responsibility we shared innovative practices, e.g., orphan programmes, working in partnership with those living with HIV&AIDS, couples programmes and new creative ways of working with youth and adults. We also discussed the challenges faced in promoting long term value based approaches such as accessing funding, positive media support and influencing key decision makers.

 

Our Commitment is to develop documentation of evidence related to positive behaviour change impact. We affirm that value based Behaviour Change is possible and is a key strategy in the prevention of AIDS. In the face of rising numbers of people living with HIV&AIDS we declare that the following values are important: Love, Care, Solidarity and Support. As the whole world is concerned with the destruction of nature and is struggling to curb climate change that will preserve it, how much more should we be concerned about the preservation of human life devastated by HIV!

 

As we recommit ourselves to champion Abstinence and Be Faithful strategies in HIV prevention we call upon church and government leaders and funding agencies to support and promote this approach which scientists have demonstrated and which we have experienced as effective in curbing the pandemic.

[i] Youth Alive and Education for Life are a Catholic faith -based network collaborating with all faiths as well as secular organisations.