CCA Develops Module on Effective Advocacy to Combat HIV and AIDS

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.

15 March 2018

Group photo

As part of the  special HIV and AIDS programme, Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia – ATCHAA, the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) developed  a module to help the churches and ecumenical councils in Asia to be engaged in effective advocacy to combat  HIV and AIDS. 

The workshop organized by CCA with expert assistance from the United Nation’s AIDS (UNAIDS) programme, was held from 12 to 14 March 2018 at the CCA headquarters in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Participants of the workshop included experts working in in the field of HIV and AIDS advocacy from the UNAIDS,  National Council of Churches, Christian hospital networks, Social development organisations and Christian mission agencies. 

Dr Salil Panakadan of the UNAIDS Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in a presentation  outlined  the situation of HIV and AIDS problem in Asia. Dr. Salil described how the the prevalence trend is increasing in some Asian countries.

The role of Churches and Faith-Based Organizations in complementing and contributing to the advocacy initiatives at the global, regional and local levels  to combat HIV and AIDS was a key concern discussed  at the workshop.

The Contextual Bible Studies presented were prime resources for motivating Churches to respond effectively to HIV and AIDS.

While sharing the best practices from the region in responding to HIV and AIDS, the participants opined that “the menace of HIV and AIDS is evident everywhere, in  communities, churches and  around all of us, and the churches need to be instruments of initiating healing processes for those who are infected and affected”.

“Churches, ecumenical Councils and Christian organisations have to play important roles in reducing the stigma and discrimination, for which churches should focus on providing psycho-social support as well as access to testing, treatment, care and support”, they expert group suggested.

Dr. Ronald Lalthanmawia, and Mr. Jay Roy Tipayan Coordinators of ATCHAA facilitated the workshop and said, CCA will organize a series of activities in the coming months as part of the ATCHAA to combat the HIV and AIDS in Asia.