160 initial signatures have been collected for a new Code of Good Practice for NGO’s responding to HIV/AIDS, and among these 19 are faith-based organisations.

Linda Hartke, coordinator of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance said, “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. We must 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.”

The Code of Good Practice was developed through a committee of eleven organisations, including the World Council of Churches (WCC). This committee ensured the accountability and quality of the response and allowed expansion of the organisations involved with HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment to be widened to a wider range of NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisations).

The faith-based organisations include: Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, Bread for the World, Christian Aid, Church of Sweden, the Conference of European Churches, DanChurchAid, Diakonie Emergency Aid, Difaem - German Institute for Medical Mission, Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism, Hope for Eastern Europe, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Lutheran World Relief, Norwegian Church Aid, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), the World Alliance of YMCAs, the World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Student Christian Federation, the World YWCA.

This major collection of signatures has signalled to the world the endorsement of the Code’s principles and the organisations’ commitment to implementing the programmes into their own works.

Rev Kobia, general secretary of the WCC said, “Faith communities and organisations do not exist in a vacuum. Church workers all over the world have a responsibility to ensure that our organisations are engaged with civil society in key issues such as HIV and AIDS. Endorsing this Code signifies WCC's moral commitment to concerted efforts towards the eradication of the pandemic.”

Rev Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches reported, “The Code of Good Practice is an instrument that will urge and strengthen responses of faith-based organisations in developing a vision, a commitment and a plan of action that will promote and protect the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS.”

He concluded, “It will encourage organisations to be equipped with skills for effective leadership, upholding the respect, integrity and dignity of all persons, including special consideration for women and young people who are most vulnerable.”

Four principle purposes of the Code have been established:

1) Build wide commitment to principles and practices that underscore successful NGO responses to HIV and AIDS;
2) Assist NGOs to improve the quality and cohesiveness of their work and their accountability to partners and beneficiary communities;
3) Foster greater collaboration among the variety of NGOs now actively engaged in responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and
4) Renew the 'voice' of NGOs responding to HIV and AIDS by committing to a shared vision of good practice in our programming and advocacy.

Dr Musimbi Kanyoro, secretary general for the World YMCA stated that the Code “has a check list that will be useful for us in the work on HIV/AIDS. (The Codes keep us) connected to other people working on the same subject and ... to check on ourselves whether we are going in the right direction.”

Dr Bart Shaha, secretary general of the World Alliance of YMCA’s said, “Signing the code means we can’t just do business as usual. For us the Code is a declaration of what we believe we must do so that our work can have a bigger impact. It's a sign of our joint commitment to eradicating the scourge of HIV/AIDS.”

The organisations currently involved with the Code have given encouragement for other faith-based organisations to also consider the principles and join the Code’s signatories.

Dr Kathryn Wolford, moderator of the executive committee of ACT International, and president of Lutheran World Relief said, “This is an important initiative and I hope and trust it will receive broad support. Many ACT members are already incorporating best practices on HIV/AIDS into our humanitarian programs and this helps equip others to do likewise”

Dr Ismael Noko, LWF general secretary said, “The values underlying the Code, e.g. fighting discrimination and stigma, and ensuring access to care, correspond with those expressed in the Lutheran World Federation HIV/AIDS Action Plan and Campaign. 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.”

The International Federation of Red Cross, and Red Crescent Societies host the Code of Good Practice project, and the deadline to sign was 29th October 2004. However, the project’s 2nd phase will commence in 2005, to implement the Code, and from then on a continuous mechanism for NGO’s to sign the Code will be created.