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Faith-based Initiatives

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Faith-based initiatives can be pivotal to the success of public health programs throughout the worldespecially those concerning reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Family Health International has worked closely with Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and interfaith groups in several countries on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS programs for adults and youth. Religious institutions such as churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues are found in nearly all communities worldwide and have significant cultural, political, social, educational, and economic influence. Also, in many countries, faith-based institutions are the largest, most stable, and most extensively disbursed nongovernmental organizations. Most have resources, structures, and systems on which to build. They also possess the human, physical, technical, and financial resources needed to support and implement small and large-scale initiatives. Working with them can be very cost effective because they can leverage volunteer and other resources with minimal effort. For all of these reasons, it can be extremely helpful to involve faith-based groups in public health initiatives, such as HIV prevention and care, and reproductive health. 

Even difficult ethical issues raised by certain strategiessuch as promoting condom usecan be resolved sufficiently to allow collaboration and compromise if addressed openly and with mutual respect.  Some of the tensions inherent in collaboration among diverse groups can be diffusedand cooperation fosteredby agreeing to limit the range of cooperation to the issue at hand and to set aside other areas of disagreement.
 
The strengths and achievements of faith-based initiatives to dateincluding interdenominational action, high rates of volunteerism, and changes in church and health personnel toward a more holistic attitudecan be the building blocks for future coordination between faith-based organizations and multilateral, governmental, and nongovernmental efforts.    
 
Developing initiatives from a shared sense of compassion and a commitment to serving others can bring together even those who may be far apart in the other particulars of their beliefs and valuesto the benefit of all.