Asian youth leaders share best practices and challenges on HIV at regional interfaith conference

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

16 November 2024

Panel Discussion on ‘Trends in HIV Prevalence Among Youth in Asia’

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: The Asian interfaith conference on ‘Reversing the HIV Epidemic’ drew attention to the voices of young people working in the area of health and healing from across Asia. 

During a panel discussion on ‘Trends in HIV Prevalence Among Youth in Asia’, four youth leaders from various faith communities in Asia shared insights into the challenges faced in addressing HIV and AIDS and proposed strategies to strengthen regional responses.

Ronan James Penuela, a medical nurse from the Philippines and Project Officer at Youth Voices Count, introduced the rising trend of HIV prevalence among Filipino youth, highlighting gaps in healthcare education. He noted that inadequate training leads to healthcare professionals being insufficiently sensitised, which often results in discrimination and a lack of preparedness in managing HIV cases.

Emphasising the significance of faith-based HIV treatment and care, James Penuela stated, “Medical care should complement faith-based care because this helps improve adherence to medication, well-being and mental health, and health-seeking behaviour, ensuring holistic care of the patient”.

Pooja Mishra, National Youth Coordinator for Youth Lead Voices (YLV) and General Secretary of the National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India, outlined the situation of HIV and AIDS epidemic in India. According to Ms Mishra, young Indians aged 15 to 29 comprise 31% of those affected in the country, and India has the second-highest number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) globally.

She highlighted YLV’s flagship programme, Positive Speaking Training, which has trained over 300 young PLHIV in public speaking, storytelling, and communication skills to inspire change, combat stigma, and advocate for rights and policy reforms through social media.

“As young people living with HIV, we seek support, understanding, and empowerment from faith-based organisations. We believe that faith based health organisations, rooted in values of compassion, care, and justice, have a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our lives”, said Ms Mishra.

Shedding light on the HIV and AIDS situation in Indonesia, Ria Claudia Watulingas, a National Committee member of the Indonesian Student Christian Movement, identified key factors driving high HIV prevalence among young Indonesians, which include risky behaviours, limited knowledge, restricted access to healthcare, stigma and discrimination, and social and cultural influences.

Ms Watulingas further added, “The trend of HIV prevalence among Indonesian youth is a serious concern, but it’s not without hope. By addressing the root causes of HIV transmission and focusing on prevention, education, and access to healthcare, we can make significant progress in reversing this trend. It will require continued collaboration across governments, NGOs, churches and communities to ensure that youth in Asia are protected from HIV and given the tools they need to lead healthy lives”.

Zooming in on the broader statistics, Dr Albertus Dimas Aji Putra, a young medical doctor and Director of Bungsu General Hospital in Bandung, Indonesia, provided a detailed account of the ground realities of HIV in the country.

Dr Aji Putra identified key challenges, including patients lost to follow-up during treatment, stigma rooted in cultural, religious, and societal taboos, and restrictive regulations that hinder early education and awareness. He also highlighted how lifestyle factors contribute to the heightened vulnerability of individuals to HIV.

The panel emphasised the urgent need to tackle stigma, improve education, and promote interfaith collaboration to empower youth and strengthen HIV response efforts across Asia.

For more photos of Day 2, please click here (photo gallery)