The Hindu : International : Arab religious heads mull HIV fight

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 15, 2004

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International

Arab religious heads mull HIV fight

CAIRO, DEC. 14. Arab religious leaders on Monday debated methods to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS — a usually taboo subject in much of the conservative Arab world — but stopped short of agreeing to recommend the use of contraceptives.

Over 80 religious leaders, both Muslim and Christian, met at a United Nations-sponsored conference on HIV/AIDS and acknowledged ``the medical call for the use of different preventive means,'' but would not name nor endorse the use of contraceptives that the U.N. recommends as a means to cut infection rates.

``It is not that easy to challenge centuries of certain positions,'' said Khadija Moalla, an official with the United Nations Development Programme who focuses on the Arab world.

She said the conference was necessary ``because policy-makers were really scared of religious leaders. It was their alibi for not working on AIDS or even doing small things.

``Now we do know there are people with HIV and we can move on,'' she said.

The UNDP considers the Arab world a ``low-prevalence'' area , though it estimates that about 540,000 people are infected with the HIV/AIDS.

A U.N. spokeswoman said, ``It's a totally unexpected and refreshing approach (compared to the view) that God was punishing these people.'' — AP

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