IRCU to hold a conference on HIV/AIDS, Maternal Health and Gender based Violence

IRCU to hold a conference on HIV/AIDS, Maternal Health and Gender based Violence

The Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) in partnership with the United Nations family in Uganda is organizing a high level review meeting of HIV/AIDS, maternal and reproductive health, and gender based violence prevention programmes for senior religious leaders in Uganda.

The two-day meeting which will take place on 1st and 2nd October at Hotel Africana in Kampala, will run under the theme “Re-engaging religious leaders to respond to HIV/AIDS, Maternal Health and Gender based Violence”

Expected to attend, are; religious leaders across the country, representatives from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda AIDS commission, the Civil Society and AIDS and Health development partners.

The meeting will review the extent to which religious leaders and organizations have implemented key resolutions and commitments of the high-level advocacy meeting on HIV and AIDS, maternal health and gender-based violence for senior religious leaders in Uganda; which was held in April, 2010 in Entebbe.

In this meeting, IRCU, together with its member organizations will take stock of the achievement, challenges, lessons and best practices in the implementation of HIV/AIDS, maternal and reproductive health, and gender based violence prevention programmes.

In 2010, as Uganda organized to take on the final lap to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs), IRCU with support from various partners including UN agencies organized a high level leadership conference on HIV/AIDS, maternal health and gender?based violence that resulted in a set of commonly agreed resolutions.

The leaders identified their specific roles and responsibilities in programming for each of the thematic areas as well as roles of government and other partners. The resolutions at IRCU level were reinforced by commitments at institution level for some of the denominations taking into consideration respective social teachings and policies.

Some of the Organizations expected to make presentations at the meeting are; United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Adolescent girl programming, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on early child marriage, World Vision is also expected to make a presentation on the implications of Sustainable Development Goals on Uganda, and the Vice chancellor of Uganda Christian University, Rev. Can. Dr. John Ssenyonyi will also present a paper on partnerships with religious institutions in development programming.

The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) will make a presentation on the current situation of HIV/AIDS in the country, challenges and way forward, the Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ruth Achieng will also present a paper on the current situation, challenges and way forward of maternal and child health in Uganda.

Other topics to be covered are; the current situation, challenges and way forward of gender-based violence in Uganda, and a recap of the 2010 meeting presented by the IRCU HIV/AIDS & Public health specialist, Charles Sewanja.