wfn.org | Church-related Organizations Support Code of Good Practice for

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

Church-related Organizations Support Code of Good Practice for HIV/AIDS
Response
LWF General Secretary Noko Commends Policy's Values 

GENEVA, 26 November 2004 (LWI) - At least 19 faith-based organizations
including the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are among the 160 initial
signers of a new Code of Good Practice for NGOs Responding to HIV/AIDS. 

The Code of Good Practice was developed through a steering committee of
organizations to ensure accountability and quality programming in response to
the expanding involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the
prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS.

"The values underlying the Code, such as fighting discrimination and stigma,
and ensuring access to care, correspond with those expressed in the LWF
HIV/AIDS Action Plan and Campaign," says LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr
Ishmael Noko in a press release issued jointly by the organizations today.
"It is our hope that this Code of Good Practice will become a benchmark
document for quality programming in the various spheres of life that
determine our courageous and intensified responses to the challenges of the
AIDS pandemic," he adds.

"Faith communities all across the globe are living with HIV and AIDS, and are
also on the front line of responding with care, support, and education for
prevention," says Linda Hartke, coordinator of the Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance (EAA), the Geneva-based international network of churches and
Christian organizations cooperating in advocacy on global trade and HIV and
AIDS. Hartke stresses the need to "accept the challenge to carry out this
work in ways that promote good practices * effective and collaborative
services and advocacy * in the context of the global response." 

Other faith-based organizations that have signed the code include: Action by
Churches Together (ACT) International, Bread for the World, Christian Aid,
Church of Sweden, Conference of European Churches, DanChurchAid, Diakonie
Emergency Aid, Difaem - German Institute for Medical Mission, Ecumenical
Coalition on Tourism, Hope for Eastern Europe, Lutheran World Relief,
Norwegian Church Aid, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, World Alliance of
YMCAs, World Council of Churches, World Student Christian Federation and the
World YWCA. 

By signing on to the Code, NGOs publicly signal their endorsement of its
principles and their commitment to implement the programming principles in
the Code relevant to their own work. Its purpose is to:
- build wide commitment to principles and practices that underscore
successful NGO responses to HIV and AIDS;
- assist NGOs to improve the quality and cohesiveness of their work and their
accountability to partners and beneficiary communities;
- foster greater collaboration among the variety of NGOs now actively engaged
in responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and
- renew the 'voice' of NGOs responding to HIV and AIDS by committing to a
shared vision of good practice in our programming and advocacy.

Participants in the EAA have been active in giving input to the drafters of
the Code to include faith-based perspectives and experience. 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies host the
Code of Good Practice project. The first deadline for signing was 29 October
2004, although organizations can now sign on at any time. The full list of
initial supporters of the Code will be made public on 1 December 2004. (530
words)

The full joint press release can be found on the EAA Web site at:
http://www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-5340.doc 

For more information on the Code of Good Practice, including the Code and a
full list of NGO signatories see:
http://www.ifrc.org/what/health/hivaids/code/ 

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 138 member
churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a membership of nearly 65
million Lutherans. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of
common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology,
humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service. Unless
specifically noted, material presented does not represent positions or
opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an article
contains the notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

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