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Religious leaders and top
UN officials began Monday a two-day conference in the Netherlands to
debate HIV issues and religions' response to the illness.
Several dozen Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and
Sikh leaders were taking part in the conference taking place in Den
Dolder near Utrecht in the central Netherlands through Tuesday.
Top United Nations officials involved in HIV-programmes and other
organisations dealing with HIV also joined the debate.
Among others, the participants would discuss how stigma and
discrimination against people living with HIV are perpetuated both in
religious communities and society at large, and what religious leaders
could do to fight such discrimination.
'Religious leaders can play a vital role in the AIDS response,' said
Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director in a statement.
'By promoting community solidarity they can prevent new HIV infections
and ensure that people living with HIV are treated with dignity and
respect.'
The event, co-chaired by leaders from several religions, is an
initiative from the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and Cordaid - a Catholic
development organisation located in the Netherlands. The Dutch
government, the UN and several non-governmental organisations support the
event.
The UN and the World Health Organisation estimate that worldwide some
30.6 and 36.1 million people are infected with HIV, more than 22 million
of whom in Sub-Saharan Africa. More than 90 percent of those infected
with HIV live in development countries.
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