Religious Leaders Advocate Programme and Populations of Humanitarian Concern Project

Strategic Area:                            HIV/AIDS Alignment with strategic plan:      Democratic governance Project Name:                             Religious Leaders Advocate Programme and Populations of                                                                                 Humanitarian Concern Project Duration:                                     June 2007 – May 2010 Project Summary: A key foundation for ensuring access to information and social services for HIV prevention, treatment and care is ensuring an ongoing base for open dialogue, communication and awareness raising on HIV/AIDS issues. In the Somali context religious leaders play a crucial and pivotal role in their communities and have considerable influence. Their role in improving access to knowledge and increasing community discussion on HIV/AIDS in the Somali context is widely recognised. Religious leaders are essential actors in a successful response to HIV/AIDS. They contribute to the shaping of social values and norms, which are critical to ending stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS, and can influence public attitudes and national policies related to the epidemic. In recognition of this, UNDP Somalia and HARPAS, regional program, in collaboration with local partners are supporting a training programme for religious leaders with a view to involving and engaging them as active agents in the national HIV/AIDS response. The workshops targeted high-level religious leaders and women from faith based organizations and aimed at raising their awareness and sensitizing them with regard to various aspects of the HIV epidemic, including stigma and discrimination while providing them with practical tools on how to incorporate HIV messages in their work and as such become active agents in their communities in response to AIDS. Phase one of the Global Fund against ATM programme included advocacy, training and exposure visit initiatives with religious leaders. In phase 2, it is important to see the role of religious leaders in the HIV/AIDS response expand and strengthen, and to ensure that religious leaders are implementing awareness raising efforts within their communities. This project is implemented jointly with UNICEF and UNFPA, who are training health workers and counselors, and are providing services, to ensure a comprehensive response to Social and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). Project Outputs: •    Advocacy for religious leaders to become change agents in national HIV AIDS response •    Training on traditional practices, including SGBV •    Exposure visits Implementation Description and Achievements: The first 6 months of the project focused on providing basic training on HIV for 134 religious leaders from all regions of  Somaliland and Puntland. Of these, 53 were trained as trainers. The trainers will train further religious leaders. The religious leaders have formed a network and are providing information and support services to their respective communities. In early 2008, approx. 50 religious leaders will be trained on HIV and traditional practices, and approx. 20 people are trained as trainers. They will be part of a referral network for victims of Gender Based Violence currently being established.