06.09.2005
LWF Council Approves Plans to Intensify HIV/AIDS Campaign
LWF Council Meeting in Jerusalem/Bethlehem,31 August - 6 September 2005
PRESS RELEASE N0. 10-2005
World Trade Body Urged to Ensure Access to Affordable, Effective Anti-retroviral Drugs
JERUSALEM/BETHLEHEM, 6 September 2005 (LWI) - The Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has urged its member churches to request their governments and national parliaments to increase funding for the international fight against HIV/AIDS to match the current needs' assessment provided by the United Nations AIDS body, UNAIDS.
The LWF governing body's call to Lutheran churches came as donor governments in the global fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic began a two-day meeting in London, September 5, to discuss funding to fight the disease. With increased European pledges, pressure for more financial support is likely to move to the United States of America.
Approving recommendations presented by its Program Committee for Mission and Development, the LWF Council particularly asked its member churches in the United States of America to approach the US government and call for the revision of conditions for the use of the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) fund. The US government should be asked to give freedom to recipients in the choice of prevention methods and in the use of PEPFAR support for import of generics and testing materials from any supplier in the world.
The LWF Council members expressed gratitude to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for its substantial support toward LWF programs. In January 2003, the LWF signed an agreement with the GFATM to fund its HIV/AIDS action plan. This was the first time the Global Fund had signed an agreement with a non-governmental and faith-based organization since its 2001 founding.
The Council acknowledged the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and endorsed plans by the LWF to scale up its global HIV/AIDS campaign that was launched in 2002.
It commended the proven positive contribution of faith-based organizations in the fight against the pandemic and for the encouraging engagement of the LWF member churches from both North and South in the AIDS campaign. The Council observed the positive changes in attitude of the leadership of Lutheran churches and their growing active contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Council reaffirmed the need for capacity building in order to honor the commitments made in LWF regional consultations on HIV/AIDS, as well as the need to intensify programs of prevention, treatment, care and support.
Furthermore the Council declared its support for initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) to enable the treatment of three million people living with HIV/AIDS by 2010. It also welcomed the world's wealthiest nations' (G8) initiative to provide universal access to HIV treatment in the next five years.
Expressing concern about increasing problems in international trade with generics especially from India as a result of pressure from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the LWF Council called on the WTO to ensure that trade rules did not hinder access to affordable, highly effective anti-retroviral drugs.
According to the 2004 statistics from UNAIDS, around 39.4 million people worldwide are living with HIV. The majority of those infected are in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 25.4 million people; followed by Asia with 8.2 million.
Having received information about the "Message of the [June 2005] Conference of Women Bishops, Presidents and Leaders with the Ministry of Oversight," the Council strongly affirmed that the Lutheran church's "theological understanding is that women and men are both created in the image of God, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ calls both women and men to diverse ministries. The fullness of the Gospel is most accurately represented where both women and men are given access to leadership roles."
The Council also took action on recommendations based on a Message and Prayer from the Pre-Council Youth Workshop held August 26-30, in Jerusalem under the theme "Called to a Ministry of Reconciliation." (634 words) [cf. separate story on Youth Message]
*There are around 170 participants in this year's Council meeting, including representatives from the LWF member churches on the 49-member governing body. Also attending are officials from LWF partner organizations, invited guests, stewards, interpreters and translators, and LWF staff. The Council is the annual governing body meeting between Assemblies held every six years. The current Council was appointed at the July 2003 Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada. It comprises the President, Treasurer and 48 persons elected by the Assembly. Other members include advisors, who are ordained and lay persons representing the different LWF regions.
If you want to edit this article yourself and adapt it to a given format, follow our editing information
