Robert Carr Fund/2019-2021 International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV & AIDS (INERELA+)

International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV & AIDS (INERELA+)

INERELA+ is a global network of religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV who work to support religious leaders to be champions for human rights and health, with a central focus on gender equality, the dignity and worth of all people, and the provision and accessibility of services and support for all.

 

Grantee type:
Regional
Grant:
$550,000
Grant period:
2019-2021

 

INERELA+ convenes 15 participating country networks across Africa and five additional networks in Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central Asia, Canada and Europe, and a global membership of over 12,000.

  • Around the world today, over 9 million of the nearly 37 million people living with HIV don’t know that they carry the virus, and an additional 5 to 6 million HIV-positive people are not accessing HIV treatment.
  • Stigma and discrimination are important reasons why people are not accessing HIV testing and treatment. Stigma against HIV, and against many of the populations at greatest risk for HIV, creates discriminatory policies and actions in health care settings, potential for in employment and education, and potential for social exclusion and violence in people’s families and communities.
  • Gender inequality is another related factor in the lack of HIV testing and treatment. In communities where women and girls are economically dependent on men and exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, they may be hesitant in negotiating safer sex or in seeking testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
  • Religious leaders can be important champions for human rights and agents of change when they themselves are openly HIV+, and when they speak out about the dignity and worth of all people, and importance of care and love for all.
  • In many African countries, INERELA+ has found that coalitions of faith leaders can be important educators and advocates for human rights, non-discrimination, and services for people living with HIV, people who are lesbian, gay or transgender, people who use drugs, people who engage in sex work, people who are migrants, and people who are poor.

RCF funding 2019-2021

INERELA+ received US$ 550,000 in funding from the Robert Carr Fund during 2019-2021. This funding was allocated to both core and strategic program costs, investing in the organizational capacity and collective work of INERELA and its partners in 15 African countries. This builds on steady RCF funding during previous years.

 

Geographic coverage

INERELA+ is a global network of religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV, with 15 participating country networks across Africa and five additional networks in Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central Asia, Canada and Europe.

 

Population coverage

INERELA+ supports religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV, helping them to be champions for human rights and health, with a central focus on gender equality, the dignity and worth of all people, and the provision and accessibility of services and support for all.

 

Activities 2019-2021  

  • With RCF funding in 2016-2018, INERELA+ worked with country coalitions of faith leaders in nine countries — Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia – to initiate and engage in dialogues with faith communities about HIV, sexual health, gender-based violence, and the importance of human rights, non-discrimination, and services for inadequately served populations (ISPs). INERELA+ also worked with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Save the Children to organize a regional Southern Africa forum about the role of faith leaders in advocating for migrants’ health and rights in SADC countries.
  • During 2019-2021, INERELA+ plans to continue supporting all INERELA+ country networks in implementing congregational education and dialogues as well as in human resource and program management, stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization.
  • INERELA+ will pilot exchange visits between country networks and will convene its general conference of all country network leaders to elect a new board ensuring equitable representation of all regions, faiths and genders.
  • Work by INERELA+ country networks will include work in Kenya and Nigeria to engage women and youth leaders in the faith community to lead HIV, SRHR and SGBV campaigns; work in Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe to create women’s resource centers and help desks where women can seek advice and counseling related to violence, property and inheritance, and conflict resolution; work in South Africa an Rwanda to engage men in HIV counseling, testing and care; and sponsorship of national dialogues in all countries to bring together religious leaders with LGBTI community representatives to discuss issues of concern.

Intended results 2019-2021

The intended results from this work during 2019-2021 will include:

  • Network strength and influence:  Religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV in nine African countries will be visible champions for human rights and health, on and will benefit from country-to-country exchanges and regional dialogues and trainings, all facilitating congregational work that is regionally informed and aligned.
  • Human rights:  Religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV will be vocal advocates for gender equality and the dignity and worth of all people, and will facilitate and participate in national dialogues about human rights and sexual health, sexuality and gender identity.
  • Access to services: Religious leaders living with or personally affected by HIV will promote the provision and accessibility of HIV-related services and support for all people including for women, youth and people who are LGBT.