Churches propose more effective ways to prevent HIV/AIDS to Ministry of Education
The Civil Council of the Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and Sports on Cooperation with Churches and Religious Organizations held a meeting on June 29, reports the Institute for Religious Freedom.
At the meeting the council discussed extracurricular activates in the context of promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Representatives of the Department of Extracurricular Education and Protection of Children’s Rights and the State Service for Youth and Sports of Ukraine presented information on this topic. According to the presenters, 1.4 million children participate in extracurricular activities.
Representatives of the churches said that this work will be very effective if it is based on religious and moral principles.
This year’s President’s Address to the Verkhovna Rada was brought up at the meeting, in particular the president’s concern about today’s ineffective methods for fighting against HIV/AIDS.
Representatives of the church noted that according to the Law of Ukraine “On the Prevention of AIDS and Social Protection of the Public” the state must guarantee the public is informed about the principles of a healthy and moral lifestyle and spiritual values.
Instead we see a simplified approach that is not based on spiritual values, but which, for example, includes the distribution of condoms, said the members of the Civil Council. In the opinion of the church representatives, it is this one-sidedness that makes today’s methods ineffective, which over the last 15 years have only worsened the epidemic in Ukraine.
The Civil Council prepared a letter addressed to Education Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk, in which they propose more effective ways to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Furthermore, during the meeting the ministry’s representative announced the development of methodical instructions, according to which on September 1 the first lesson in schools with be dedicated to the 450th anniversary of the Peresopnytsky Gospel.
The next meeting of the Civil Council on Cooperation with Churches and Religious Organizations is planned for September 2011.
