For Immediate Release
June 23, 2023
Faith-Based Organizations Tell Congress to Reauthorize PEPFAR
Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Africa Faith and Justice Network along with over forty four national and international faith-based organizations sent a joint letter to Congress urging Members of Congress to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) before the end of FY2023 (September 30, 2023). Since 2003, PEPFAR has saved millions of lives around the world by providing capacity strengthening to local health systems, increasing access to lifesaving medications, and supporting adults and children living with HIV/AIDS. The letter notes that “according to the World Health Organization, Africa is disproportionately affected by HIV, with almost two-thirds of new infections occurring there.” This initiative was led by Maryknoll’s Office for Global Concerns.
Steven Nabieu Rogers, PhD, Executive Director at the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) made the following remarks:
- “The Africa Faith and Justice Network, is calling on all members of Congress to support the reauthorization of PEPFAR to ensure Africans have access to life saving medicines and health systems.
- “Twenty years after its creation, PEPFAR has saved millions of lives and changed the trajectory of the global HIV pandemic. But Africans continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. Faith-based organizations depend on PEPFAR to be able to reach and serve these vulnerable populations, many of whom would otherwise lack access to these life-saving resources.
- “While the reauthorization of PEPFAR should have transparency and accountability measures in place, its reauthorization should not be contingent upon political and ideological differences that would deny vulnerable populations access to these lifesaving resources.
- “PEPFAR should not be weaponized and used as a sanction or tool to force sovereign African nations to follow US cultural practices.
Read the June 22, 2023 “Letter to Reauthorize PEPFAR” letter
Read the State Department’s Results and Impact of PEPFAR
Read the WHO’s webpage on HIV/AIDS
Read Maryknoll’s webpage