Summit of Religious Leaders Living with HIV.17/08/08

We, as lay and ordained religious leaders, women and men, living with and affected by HIV, assembled in Mexico City for the 2008 International AIDS Conference, make the following statement.

Faith, in all its forms, holds a powerful and central position in the lives of the majority of people in the world. Leadership in faith communities thus carries great responsibility. 

Religious leaders are uniquely positioned to bring an end to the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV (PLHIV) which continues to damage the bodies, minds, and spirits of human beings.

Religious leaders living with and affected by HIV who are open about their status exemplify the transformative power of honesty. By bringing an end to our own self-stigmatization, we serve as agents of hope to other PLHIV and affected persons and model the possibility of ending their own self-stigma. We also show that HIV does not disqualify us from fulfilling our respective callings in the world. Since HIV is a global pandemic, we consider all religious leaders to be affected by it. 

Many injustices continue to marginalize PLHIV: criminalization; travel restrictions; immigration policies; access to medications, care, education and prevention services; and many forms of violence. We call upon all religious leaders to make full use of their trusted positions to break the silence surrounding HIV and take an active stand against these injustices as well as all forms of stigma and discrimination.