Tuesday December 1, 2009 is World AIDS Day
Read about World AIDS Day 2009 on the UNAIDS: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS website here: http://www.unaids.org/en/default.asp.
Read Rev. Debra Haffner’s piece, "World AIDS Day –We Remember" on our website here: http://religiousinstitute.org/sexuality-and-religion
Ten years ago, a multifaith group of religious leaders issued the Religious Declaration on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing, a 500-word call for sexual justice that affirms full inclusion of women and LGBT persons and a faith-based commitment to reproductive rights.
The Religious Institute joins a coalition of 75 faith-based and sexual and reproductive organizations in calling on religious communities to participate in an Interfaith Weekend of Action for Women’s Health.
Catholics for Choice, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Network, the Religious Coalition on Reproductive Choice, and the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing represent more than ten thousand religious leaders and tens of thousands of people of faith who believe that abortion must be safe, legal, and accessible.
Following Senate action on Thursday (Oct. 22), both houses of Congress have authorized the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and sent the measure to President Obama, who has pledged to sign it. This landmark legislation extends the federal hate crimes statute to protect people against violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in addition to race, religion, gender, national origin and disability.
More than 1,100 clergy and religious professionals nationwide have endorsed the Religious Institute’s Open Letter to Religious Leaders on Abortion as Moral Decision, upholding “the religious foundations for affirming abortion as a morally justifiable decision.” The Religious Institute announced the endorsements as the U.S.
Standing on the Side of Love has launched a petition drive to promote equal protection under the law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. Standing on the Side of Love is a new, multifaith advocacy campaign working “to harness love’s power to stop oppression.” To learn more and sign the petition, click here.
“This new resource is consistent with the administration’s view that young people must receive the information they need to make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.”
"Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, & Religion: Partnerships for the Future" was a colloquium held on October, 15 2009 in partnership with the Population Council to encourage dialogue and collaboration among the leaders of international faith-based groups and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) organizations.