A Call to Act: Engaging Religious Leaders and Communities in Addressing Gender-Based Violence and HIV

Advocacy guide for working with religious leaders

Published by USAID August 2009

While undertaking the GBV and HIV activity with religious leaders, the USAID | Health Policy Initiative discovered a lack of GBV information aimed specifically at this audience. There are more resources for HIV because religious leaders have begun to address this issue in a more vocal manner, due to its devastating impact on their communities. Recognizing this gap, the team decided to create an advocacy guide for working with religious leaders. The guide can be used by religious leaders, communities, and institutions to learn about GBV and HIV, why they should address the issues, and how they can address them through specific activities and approaches. Secular organizations working on GBV and HIV also can use this guide to find examples of how to collaborate with religious leaders, communities, and institutions. Thus, this guide helps to take an issue that traditionally is kept silent and private—particularly in religious communities—and places it on the agenda of religions throughout the world as they seek to address HIV in an effective and holistic manner.

Download this document here (PDF, 481.11 KB, 50 pg)