the role of faith-based organisations in hiv prevention and services

Foreword
It is with pleasure that we present this report, “The Role of Faith Based Organisations in HIV Prevention
and Services: A Situational Analysis in Barbados.” The study was undertaken by the International HIV/
AIDS Alliance (IHAA)/Caribbean HIV&AIDS Alliance (CHAA) and the University of California at San
Francisco (UCSF) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The goal of this situational analysis was to understand Faith‐Based Organisations’ willingness and
capacity to engage in HIV prevention and care services. The study also sought to understand better
the barriers and facilitators to design and implementation of HIV activities by FBOs.
CHAA is the largest regional NGO working specifically to mobilise vulnerable communities to carry
out HIV prevention and education activities, counselling and testing and promoting access to care
and support. Three key populations provide the focus of CHAA activities: men who have sex with men
(MSM), sex workers (SW) and people living with HIV (PLHIV). The portfolio of the CHAA consists of
five main elements, as follows:
1. Prevention;
2. Promoting and facilitating access to health services;
3. Care, support and empowerment of PLHIV;
4. Peer support; and
5. Acceleration of the private sector response to HIV and AIDS.
The overall aim of the Eastern Caribbean Community Action Project (EC‐CAP) being carried out by the
CHAA is to work with key populations to increase access to HIV and AIDS services in four countries
of the Eastern Caribbean; Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the
Grenadines. The research carried out under this project assists in building programmes that are
relevant, culturally appropriate and effective within the countries, in partnership with National AIDS
Programmes and civil society. The research will also inform behaviour change, counselling and testing
and palliative care/home based care projects or capture lessons learnt for application to future efforts.
In keeping with the philosophy that partnerships are a critical part of our strategic vision, this report
was developed as a joint effort of a team of researchers from CHAA, UCSF, local researchers from
Barbados and with the support of the Government of Barbados. It represents a strategic and proactive
approach to HIV programming and demonstrates a model of systematic programme‐oriented research.
This study builds on an effort initiated by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP)
when, in November 2005, it hosted the Champions for Change II Regional Conference of Faith‐
Based Organisations to Reduce Stigma and Discrimination. One key result of this conference was the
Declaration of Commitment by Faith Based Organisations to reduce Stigma and Discrimination against
People Living with, and affected by HIV and AIDS. This assessment extends the options for reaching
people at risk for HIV transmission and PLHIV through partnerships with faith‐ based organisations.
CARIBBEAN HIV&AIDS ALLIANCE 3