CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) participated in the United Nations General Assembly High-
level Review Meeting on HIV/AIDS May 31-June 2 at the U.N.
headquarters, New York, to review the progress of objectives set
out in the U.N. Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS in 2001.
The ELCA and five other U.S. Christian communities and
organizations represented at the assembly issued a joint response
statement June 7 calling on U.S. policymakers to increase the
fight against HIV/AIDS.
The participating U.S. Christian communities and
organizations were: Church World Service, the Episcopal Church,
the ELCA, Maryknoll AIDS task force, the United Church of Christ
and the United Methodist Church.
More than 800 civil society groups, including the global
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance of which the ELCA is a member, and
most U.N. member states participated in three days of debate and
discussion to evaluate the progress made in achieving the goals
set out in the 2001 U.N. General Assembly Declaration.
Participants addressed the 2001 Declaration's unfulfilled
promises for prevention, education, treatment and care. A new
declaration was released June 2.
In a statement issued in response to the U.N. Review
Meeting, the U.S. Christian communities and organizations noted
that the 2006 Political Declaration of the Assembly is "far
stronger than earlier drafts because of this process." However,
the groups joined many civil society organizations and
governments in expressing disappointment with the new
declaration.
"The new declaration could have been much stronger in
establishing concrete and internationally recognized targets for
prevention, education, treatment and care and recognizing the
special needs of specific vulnerable populations," the statement
said.
"We must continue to persuade governments to recognize and
respond to the needs of specific vulnerable groups and others
most affected by the pandemic," said Dennis W. Frado, director,
Lutheran Office for World Community, New York, who attended the
Assembly.
The statement also emphasized the essential role churches
and other civil society groups play in holding the U.S.
government accountable for its promises.
"Faith-based organizations must press governments with a
renewed sense of urgency to keep their promises to fully finance
the Global Fund, promote a complete range of evidence-based
prevention strategies, and implement national plans for
prevention, treatment and care," Frado said.
The Christian communities and organizations called on U.S.
policymakers to increase the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund
to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; expand the scope of the
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); remove
restrictions on U.S. HIV/AIDS funding; comply with the U.S. law
that requires 10 percent of all U.S. global HIV/AIDS funding to
be directed to orphans and vulnerable children; and invest in
strengthening health systems in economically impoverished
countries.
The group also encouraged member states, civil society
organizations and the United Nations to enable "broad-based
participation and transparency at the earliest stage." The
response stated that the declaration is strongest in the areas
shaped by inclusive and transparent collaboration.
"HIV and AIDS affect all of God's children, and thus, all
must have a stake and a voice in its eradication," the statement
said.
The U.S. Christian communities and organizations expressed
disappointment with the new declaration, but the statement ended
with a word of hope.
"While there are very real and sometimes overwhelming
challenges to the world's effort to eradicate HIV and AIDS, we
remain filled with great hope at what can be accomplished through
our common efforts," the statement said.
The United Nations efforts to stop the spread of HIV and to
support those living with HIV/AIDS are led by UNAIDS, the Joint
United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, in collaboration with 11
other agencies.
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Information and the latest news about the U.N. Review
Meeting is available at http://www.ungass.org on the Web.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
