HIV, gender and homosexuality
In Vienna, Njoroge was a speaker at a multi-faith pre-conference held in advance of the AIDS conference. She also spoke at a workshop during the main conference on "Men having sex with men and their needs in low- and middle-income countries".
"We have gone through stages. When we started, it was the issue of gender," she said. "We have come a long way. I think it is accepted that this is an issue we must deal with … Now homosexuality has become part of the issues, and this is not an area we can avoid."
In recent months, however, some church leaders in countries including Uganda and Malawi have supported criminal penalties being applied against homosexuals. HIV campaigners warn this can mean people at risk from the disease being driven underground.
Njoroge acknowledged a "disconnect" with the fact that in many parts of Africa, it is churches that are at the forefront of providing health services and care for people with HIV.
"This is an area where we will never agree, we will not have one perspective," she said. "But how do we get someone to go for testing if they are in hiding because of what people are saying about them?"
Njoroge says "safe spaces" are needed to enable faith leaders to discuss such issues with those who are directly affected. "What we have learned is that we need to have people among us who are HIV-positive, and we need to have people among us who are men who have sex with men."
At the same time, Njoroge suggested more research on how traditional African communities dealt with these issues. "Is there something we can learn?"
She said she takes inspiration from how the WCC first responded to HIV in the 1980s, becoming one of the first international organizations to do so.
Under the leadership of its then general secretary Emilio Castro, the WCC elaborated guidelines for responding to AIDS including the affirmation of "the right to medical and pastoral care regardless of socio-economic status, race, sex, sexual orientation or sexual relationship".
Castro "knew it wasn’t going to be an easy ride. But he didn’t run away from it," said Njoroge. An attitude that is still needed: "Do we have the courage to step out and take the lead?"
Dr Stephen Brown, managing editor of Ecumenical News International, was part of the Ecumenical Media Team at the International AIDS Conference.
