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crossposted from unaids.org
According to a new report published by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), estimated 50 million women in Asia, who are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in high-risk sexual behaviours, are at risk of becoming infected with HIV from their partners.
The HIV epidemics in Asia vary between countries in the region, but are fuelled by unprotected paid sex, the sharing of contaminated injecting equipment by injecting drug users, and unprotected sex among men who have sex with men. Men who buy sex constitute the largest infected population group – and most of them are either married or will get married. This puts a significant number of women, often perceived as ‘low-risk’ because they only have sex with their husbands or long-term partners, at risk of HIV infection.
Caring Men – Ezra Chitando
My ears of faith
Stretch for the sound
Of the arrival of caring men
My heart of faith
Yearns for men who care
My hands of faith anticipate
The gift of caring men
My eyes of faith
Search for men who care
My nose of faith senses
The aroma of caring men
My feet of faith propel me
Towards men who care
Sensitive men
Loving men
Inspired men
Humble men
Caring men.
This poem was composed during the 53rd Commission on the Status of Women in New York, March 2009. The theme was, “The Equal Sharing of Responsibilities between Women and Men, Including Care-giving in the Context of HIV and AIDS.”
Ezra Chitando is a Theology Consultant to the WCC.
In preparation for the 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, as people of faith it is important to take some time and space to ourselves and reflect. This year’s theme — “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS” — encourages us to look to our own daily lives for the most basic examples of how labor is divided between men and women. Who decides how such decisions are made? How much flexibility is present in the sharing of responsibilities? Who carries a heavier burden, and what kinds of tasks are allotted to which people?
As members of a religious community, the second part of this theme must give us pause. It is the faith-based community who, in the past, helped in perpetuating a negative stigma of people living with HIV and AIDS. Our role in this negative stereotyping requires repentence, characterized by a prounounced humility and tremendous courage in naming our wrongdoing. It is our role, before acting out in advocacy, to ask forgiveness of those whom we have wronged.
We can follow the example set by ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson, who spoke this past summer at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Watch him speak and act in this video to help envision how we ourselves might repent as religious leaders.
preached by Emily Davila, EW Chair, on the anniversary of World AIDS Day
Advent Lutheran Church, New York City
Like the shepherds so long ago, I must share with you what I saw.
I woke up this morning on World AIDS Day with many emails in my inbox from around the world. World AIDS Day (WAD) is a time of social networks, and we celebrate it in many ways – we post liturgy on websites, email, worship, remember, give money, wear ribbons. Today is the day that we do these things all at once, all over the world. By sitting here in these pews we are part of a chain of reflection and action.
AIDS is with us in the US, but from my work at the Lutheran Office for World Community, an office representing the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) at the United Nations, I have seen the immense and tragic effects of AIDS’s in countries that are poorer than ours. Having traveled to far off places, like the shepherds sent on a mission that winter night, I feel I must tell you what I have seen, that among suffering I have felt awe. This witness is what I am going to talk about today. Read the rest of this entry »
Preparations for the upcoming United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) are well underway. Earlier this month, the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women convened an Expert Group Meeting on the priority theme for 2009.
The 2009 CSW will consider the theme “Equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS.” This theme was explored with shared research and practical experience, resulting in background papers, expert papers and an online discussion amongst civil society.
In particular, I highlight the role of faith based communities that arose in the papers and online discussions. Of nine expert papers and four background papers, only one background paper mentioned the role of religious stakeholders. This reference was specifically related to address issues of “attitudes and stereotypes” regarding gender roles in society.
Statistics show that women and girls comprise of nearly 90% of care providers. This is a huge burden on women, and very rarely does it receive adequate attention. Please help us by filling out a survey on
the topic of women and caregiving in the context of HIV and AIDS.
Your responses will be used to help us create our advocacy position and inform our research in the role of faith-based organizations advocating for the caretakers of those living with HIV and AIDS. We very much
value your response. Please send your responses by Oct. 25.
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Las estadísticas demuestran que las mujeres y las niñas están encargadas de casi el 90% del cuidado de las personas enfermas. Esto es una carga enorme para las mujeres y no recibe la atención adecuada. Le estamos enviando esta encuesta en preparación a la 53.a Sesión de la Comisión de la Condición Jurídica y Social de las Mujeres (CSW) que será celebrada en las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York del 2 al 13 de marzo del 2009. El tema de la reunión es “La distribución igualitaria de las responsabilidades entre las mujeres y los hombres, incluyendo el cuidado de pacientes afectados por el VIH/SIDA”.
Haz click aqui: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kH_2fnkWuO94he7Hwl_2bNsXRw_3d_3d
Sus respuestas a esta encuesta nos ayudarán en nuestro aporte a la Comisión, y contribuirá a nuestro trabajo de investigación sobre el rol de las organizaciones religiosas en la defensa de los derechos de las personas que están encargadas del cuidado de la gente viviendo con VIH y SIDA. Nosotras valoramos mucho su respuesta. Envíe por favor sus respuestas antes del 25 de octubre del 2008.
