Islamic Leaders Become a Force for Change in Indonesia's HIV Response

This 2-page paper from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Health Policy Initiative (HPI), Task Order 1, describes a project designed to guide Indonesia's religious leaders in encouraging new policies and attitudes toward HIV at the community level.

The project's launching point was the recognition that "Islamic leaders have tremendous influence in Indonesia, where the majority of citizens are Muslims. As a result, they are well positioned to act as change agents in a country where HIV is perceived as more of a moral and social issue than a medical one, and people living with HIV and the most at-risk populations are highly stigmatized. While the national government and national-level Islamic organizations have issued HIV policies and statements, implementation of the policies at the local level is often lacking or inadequate due to misconceptions, weak leadership, and limited capacity."

Specifically, working in partnership with 2 Islamic organisations in East Java (Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama), HPI worked to strengthen the HIV advocacy capacity of the organisations' provincial leaders. These 2 leaders went on to recruit additional HIV champions, forming a team of 8 leaders representing district government bodies and different sectors within the Islamic community (including a university and women's group). These 8 advocates have gone on to work actively to sensitise Muslim communities and organisations to HIV issues, in part by publishing articles on HIV topics and engaging in policy dialogue in support of local HIV prevention policies.

Then, in July 2008, the team of 8, in collaboration with the HPI, trained 113 Islamic leaders from 15 high-prevalence districts across East Java. The training was designed to: increase HIV awareness and compassion; facilitate the implementation of HIV policy statements within the faith; and share a compilation of fatwa (religious guidance) on HIV prevention. At the workshop, the 15 districts divided into 4 groups to design action plans to address HIV through their community structures, programmes, and activities. In November 2008, the HPI provided follow-up support to finalise the action plan of the group during a workshop involving 78 participants from the selected districts. A key component of the plan is to establish a network of Islamic leaders who will work closely with their respective district AIDS commissions.

In addition, to address a common goal of the action plans articulated in East Java, the HPI organised a workshop in late 2008 with nearly 100 teachers associated with Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama on incorporating HIV issues into life skills education offered through Islamic community-based and religious schools. Teachers, medical professionals, and experts on Islamic teachings from the 2 organisations are engaged in finalising HIV curricula.

As reported here, the work in East Java generated interest and media attention at the national level and in other provinces. Majelis Ulama Indonesia (Indonesia Ulama Council) in North Sumatera asked the HIP to replicate the same process in its province. In March 2009, a workshop was organised in Medan for 120 participants - including representatives from 6 Islamic organisations and local government authorities - from all districts/municipalities in North Sumatera.