Pakistan: HIV Lessons in Madrassahs

Two nongovernmental groups have been working since last year to train clerics and educate students at 10 madrassahs -- Islamic theology schools -- in Pakistan to help destigmatize HIV/AIDS and increase awareness that the disease is not confined to drug users, prostitutes and homosexuals.

"Our experience with the madrassahs is difficult but very productive," said Faisal Shafiq, an official with Amal, an Islamabad-based health and education group. "We have to make compromises on sensitive religious issues like the use of condoms. But ... we believe we are on the right track," he said.

Using Islamic texts, Catholic Relief Services and Amal help community leaders and clergy spread the word that patient care is everyone's responsibility. Raising HIV/AIDS awareness and fighting stigma have been easier than prevention work, which is hampered by an aversion to sex education and condoms.

"There is apparently no contradiction between [development workers and clergy] on taking care of patients, but there are serious hurdles in adopting the ... usage of condoms in prevention of disease. ... The Muslim clergy believe that approving promotion of condom use encourages sexual activity," said Syed Abdul Mujeeb, a prominent AIDS expert in Pakistan. Madrassah clerics believe condoms should play a role in prevention only in a marriage where the male is HIV-positive.

"Today's student of a madrassah will be tomorrow's cleric of a mosque. His single sermon highlighting the issue of AIDS will impact thousands," said Syed Amer Raza of CRS.

If the programs are successful, CRS and Amal will expand the networking effort to include the entire country, where there are about 20,000 such schools.

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