Over the years, religious leaders have always had a strong impact on Sudanese society. Their revered status and tolerant approach have enabled them to reach a wide audience and become engaged with the society’s daily concerns. On many occasions, this helped maintain the Sudanese intricate social fabric.

In recognition of this vital role, UNDP in collaboration with the Sudan National AIDS Programme (SNAP) and the Ministry of Religious Guidance organized a number of workshops across Sudan to raise the awareness amongst religious leaders of the threat of HIV/AIDS.

Religious leaders in Atbara during a HIV/AIDS orientation session		Representatives from the Armed Forces participating in the HIV/AID awareness raising sessions

A five-day training session on HIV/AIDS targeting 32 religious leaders was hosted by the River Nile state government on 9-13 October. Muslim and Christian leaders representing 10 states attended the workshop (Blue Nile state, Southern Kordofan state, the three Darfur states, Sinnar state, Gezira state, White Nile state, Northern state and River Nile state.)

The training helped mobilize religious leaders’ support for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Sudan. It focused mainly on the need for encouraging a more positive attitude toward HIV- positive individuals and ending stigma and discrimination directed against them. During the training, religious leaders received an orientation on HIV/AIDS to enable them to promote spiritual values of care and compassion amongst the society toward people living with HIV/AIDS, and to encourage citizens to approach Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing Centers to test for HIV.

In the spotlight
Sheik Al-Tijani Yousif Abdalla, Director of the Advocacy and Muslim Faith Directorate in South Darfur and Imam of the Large Mosque of South Darfur, shared his insight on the training:

“This is the time for me to attend orientation training on HIV/AIDS. Previously, the information available to us on HIV/AIDS was inadequate and distorted. In my Friday prayers’ Khotba (sermon), I used to refer to people living with HIV/AIDS as sinners. Now this has changed. I am more compassionate towards them and understand the social problems that they face and I am intent on increasing the community’s tolerance towards them.

After attending this training I came to realize that HIV/AIDS is a social problem. The increasing number of HIV-affected individuals really alarmed me, and I think it is mainly due to the absence of information on this epidemic.

I was really pleased to find out that amongst the trainees were two Imams who preach at mosques affiliated with the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense. Soldiers and policemen are amongst the most vulnerable populations and raising their awareness on this issue is indeed very important to end the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Once I go back to Darfur, I will try to influence decision makers in my state to adopt pro-HIV/AIDS policies that preserve the rights of individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

I also believe that it is through networking that we will be able to reach all sectors of the society and continue our advocacy work. I think all the trainees here should first begin by enhancing their relations with the Ministry of Interior and Community Police in its efforts to combats drugs and move from there.

More coordination with radio and TV institutions in our states is also needed, where we can advocate for the need for testing of HIV/AIDS and to end stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS, especially amongst the youth

I really want to thank UNDP for this initiative. They have brought me here all the way from Darfur to educate me on this highly important issue. I wish also to bring to SNAP and UNDP’s attention that we in Darfur state require additional tools to help us fight HIV/AIDS. The war and displacement context of Darfur and the large influx of refugees coming from Chad, Libya and Central Africa calls for additional help to the three Darfur states.

Finally, this workshop had an added value for me as it helped me personally in bridging the gap between myself and Christian clerks who came from Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. I am most grateful for this opportunity. Indeed, the religious teachings of Islam and Christianity both stress the need for solidarity amongst the society and this workshop helped highlight that".