Structured Abstract
| Document Title: | Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs): Contributions to HIV Prevention. September 2003. |
| Institution: | Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies |
| Author: | E.C. Green |
| Study commissioned by: | Synergy Project, implemented by TvT Global Health Health and Development Strategies, a division of Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., under USAID Contract. |
| Objectives: |
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| Methods: | literature analysis |
| Results and conclusions: | The paper examines the experience of the countries where the involvement of FBOs in government efforts to prevent the transmission of HIV appears to have had a significant impact, and examines the role religious organizations have had in the success of these countries to stabilize HIV seroprevalence rates. Four countries are presented: Uganda, Senegal Jamaica Dominican Republic. Problems arising with different approaches to prevention (ABC versus condom use centred), as well as difficulties to measure separately the different effects of various programs operating simultaneously are discussed. In the light of the experiences in the four countries, the conclusion is that FBOs should not be forced to promote condoms and should be given support for what they do the best: promote what they call fidelity and abstinence. Because most religious organizations are not currently involved in prevention, they remain an untapped potential in the global fight against AIDS. It is also recognised that- even if not or insufficiently supported by international resources - FBOs provide a large proportion of care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, their families, and communities, especially in poor countries where HIV infection rates are high. |
