CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Ahmed Turky's recent sermon at a small Cairo mosque was unusual both for its topic of HIV and its message of understanding and compassion for those infected. Though he did not address condom use, which is considered a contraceptive only for married couples, he said even those who contract HIV in "vulgar" ways should not be shunned.
"The sermons had three points: first, what AIDS is; secondly, how it is spread; and thirdly, that if someone has AIDS, it is an obligation of us all not to ostracize them," said Turky, a participant in a United Nations Development Program workshop on spreading HIV awareness through local religious leaders.
In 2004, senior Islamic leaders publicly endorsed efforts to prevent HIV and end discrimination against those infected.
"You can always do good advocacy on top, but then trickling down is a completely different story," said Maha Aon of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
A 2004 study found that most Egyptian health workers surveyed believe people with HIV should be removed from society, and most university students think people with AIDS are probably "lewd," or "have neither values nor principles."
The UNDP's efforts include information packets demonstrating Islam's willingness to tackle sexual topics. Quotes from the Prophet Muhammad urge compassion and care for the well-being of others and are applied to those affected by HIV.
According to 2003 figures, fewer than 0.1% of adults in Egypt are HIV-positive. "There are two things that make us worry," Aon said of those numbers. "If you plot the number of cases reported to the ministry of health, it's quite a steep rise. The other thing is that we don't know what the situation is among the most vulnerable groups."
Indeed, stigma and religious condemnations facing those at HIV risk, including men who have sex with men, injection-drug users, and sex workers, have pushed the groups underground. However, to expand testing and treatment, Egypt launched anonymous testing in 2004 and since 2005 has provided anti-HIV drugs free of charge. (Reuters)
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Conjoined twins Lori Schappell and trans man George Schappell dead at 62
April 27 2024 6:13 PM
Latest Stories
Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for president
July 22 2024 4:07 PM
Charli XCX declares Kamala Harris IS brat & our next President's campaign agrees
July 22 2024 3:08 PM
Pete Buttigieg roasts JD Vance and his gay tech bro billionaire
July 22 2024 1:42 PM
The AIDs pandemic can be ended by 2030, but governments must act: report
July 22 2024 1:01 PM
Conservatives' first attack on Kamala Harris: Pronouns and accessibility?
July 22 2024 12:45 PM
Advancing equality during Disability Pride Month
July 22 2024 11:30 AM