Presenter:Ms. Elijah FUNG, Centre Manager

St. John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre, Hong Kong

AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Caused by a virus called HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Retrovirus Uses living cells of human body to replicate

itself Characterized by a combination of signs

and symptoms

Nearly 5 million people were living with HIV in South, South-East and East Asia combined in 2011

The rate of new HIV infections fell by more than 25% between 2001 and 2011 in Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Thailand

However, the rate of new HIV infections increased by more than 25% between 2001 and 2011 in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka

(source: Regional Fact Sheet 2012, UNAIDS)

•Key populations are central to the region’s HIV epidemics •HIV epidemics in Asia-Pacific region remain largely concentrated among injecting drug users, men who have sex with men and sex workers

Injecting drug use

HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs in Pakistan and Indonesia is more than 25% and 35% respectivly (Country progress reports, 2012)

Men who have sex with men

HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) was more than 15% in Viet Nam; 8% in Indonesia (Country progress reports, 2012)

Sex workers

HIV prevalence in Papua New Guinea among sex workers is nearly 20% compared to a national HIV adult prevalence of about 1%In Myanmar, nearly 10% of sex workers are HIV-infected compared to a national prevalence of approximately 0.5%

Stigma and Discrimination impeded effective HIV responses

Nepal

Myanmar

Sources: Surveys collected through People Living with HIV Stigma Index

1. Addressing the increasing incidence of HIV among key affected populations Such as Men who have sex with men, sex

workers, transgender individuals, and people using drugs

2. Religious leaders are likewise affected BUT Stigma, discrimination and

judgmental attitudes of religious and church communities prevent them from revealing their status

As Christian faith values are inspired and guided by the Holy Bible, traditions, teachings, theological thoughts, encyclicals, pastoral letters, liturgical celebrations and faith journeys of Christians from various traditions

Jesus reached out to the totally rejected and stigmatized of his day (the man with leprosy, in Mark 1:40-42) Washed his disciples’ feet Served people with humility and compassion

The Lord Jesus Christ, who identified with human suffering and came to give fullness of life to all God’s peopleMotivates many Christians to follow the way, the

truth and the life

The Lord Jesus Christ taught his followers to pray and to love God with all one’s heart, mind, soul and strength and to love ones neighbor as oneself (Luke 10:27)

He preached the good news of salvation for all,

forgave sins, and healed the sick without any distinction or condition (Mark 1:32)

Stigmas and discrimination against HIV-infected People is immoral and inappropriate from the Religious perspective

What role does the Anglican Alliance have in reaching the

targets set by UNAIDS “ Zero HIV infection, zero death

and zero discrimination” by 2015?

What role does the Anglican Alliance have in achieving a reduction in SSDDIM and a change in policy in the East and South East Asia region?

Is it possible for the Anglican Alliance to

establish an HIV/AIDS network to share information, best

practices, to support religious leaders infected

and affected with HIV/AIDS in the Anglican

Church, and work together on

SSDDIM like the example in the Philippines?

With international funding declines, how

does the Anglican Alliance identify

funding to sustain its work in the region?

What is the role of the Anglican Alliance in terms of working with other

faiths and international agencies such as UNAIDS, INERELA (a network of religious leaders living with HIV/AIDS),

Asian Interfaith Network on AIDS (AINA), Christian Conference of Asia, The

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, The World Council of Churches, Christian Aid,

ICAAP and World AIDS Conferences, etc.?

Bangkok – Thailand: ICAAP 11 which will be held from 18 to 23 November, 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand, is expected to be attended by 4,000 participants from countries in Asia and the Pacific. The return of the ICAAP to Thailand after 17 years represents a unique opportunity to reflect upon the journey of the fight against HIV/AIDS in the region; and more importantly to set a new trajectory in responding to the changing needs of people infected

and affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemics.

http://icaap11.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34&Itemid=39