Diocesan Safeguarding

HIV/
AIDS

Responding with compassion, education & dignity

The Diocese of False Bay stands unequivocally alongside all people affected by HIV and AIDS. We affirm that HIV status is never a mark of sin — the Church's calling is to respond as Christ responded: with healing, presence, and the removal of stigma.

AIDS Helpline: 0800 012 322 Resources
~8M
South Africans estimated living with HIV (UNAIDS 2023)
74%
Of people living with HIV in SA on antiretroviral treatment
Women
Disproportionate burden on young women aged 15–24
U=U
Undetectable = Untransmittable: effective ART stops transmission

"HIV is not a sin. It is not a punishment from God. No theological position that uses HIV status to judge or exclude a person is consistent with the teaching of Jesus Christ."

— Diocese of False Bay
Our Framework

Four Pillars of Our Response

The Diocesan HIV and AIDS ministry is organised around four interconnected pillars — each essential, none sufficient on its own.

Education

Accurate, non-stigmatising HIV education to congregations, youth groups, and community members. Correcting misinformation — including harmful theological misconceptions.

Prevention

Supporting access to HIV testing and counselling (HCT), PMTCT, PrEP, and prevention information. Partnering with government health services for testing drives.

Care & Support

Pastoral care for those living with HIV and their families: home-based care, support groups, accompaniment in illness, and help navigating the healthcare system.

Advocacy

Advocating for the rights of people living with HIV — in the church, workplace, and society. Opposing discrimination. Addressing structural drivers: poverty and gender inequality.

What You Need to Know

Stigma Thrives
in Ignorance

One of the most powerful things the Church can do is educate its members accurately, compassionately, and without judgment.

What is HIV/AIDS?HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) attacks the body's immune system. AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection when the immune system is severely compromised.
How HIV is transmittedThrough specific body fluids: blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal fluids. It is NOT transmitted by casual contact — hugging, sharing food, mosquito bites, or social interaction.
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)People on treatment who achieve an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus sexually — the U=U principle. Treatment is life-saving and free in South Africa.
Testing Saves LivesKnowing your status allows access to treatment early. Testing is free at all government health facilities across South Africa. No referral needed.
PMTCT — Protecting babiesHIV-positive mothers who access ART during pregnancy can give birth to HIV-negative babies. Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission is a cornerstone of care.
HIV is not a sinNo theological framework that stigmatises, excludes, or judges people on the basis of HIV status is acceptable within this Diocese.
"

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2
U=U

Undetectable = Untransmittable

People living with HIV on effective antiretroviral therapy with an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit HIV to their partners. This is scientifically proven. Treatment protects not just the individual — it protects communities.

Pastoral Care & Prayer

The Ministry of Presence

The most powerful thing a parish can offer is presence — the willingness to sit with, accompany, and pray with those who carry the burdens of illness, stigma, and loss.

For Clergy & Pastoral Workers

Maintain strict confidentiality around any person's HIV status disclosed in pastoral conversation. Offer the Anointing of the Sick without hesitation to those living with HIV. Use World AIDS Day (1 December) as an opportunity for congregational education and prayer. Know your local HIV clinic, support group, and social worker — the Diocese can assist in making these connections.

"

For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38–39
A Prayer for Those Living with HIV & AIDS

Lord Jesus Christ, healer and friend of the suffering,
we bring before you all who live with HIV and AIDS —
those carrying their diagnosis in silence and in shame,
those on treatment and those without access,
those in the last days of life, and those living fully and well.

Grant them your peace that passes understanding.
Surround them with communities of care, not condemnation.
And let your Church be a place of refuge —
where the broken are bound up and the outcast are welcomed home.

We pray for those who grieve what this epidemic has taken.
Come, Lord Jesus, with your healing, your justice, and your resurrection hope.

Amen.

— Diocese of False Bay, HIV/AIDS Ministry
Support Resources

Getting Help & Support

If you or someone you know needs support, testing, or counselling in relation to HIV and AIDS, the following resources are available.

01
AIDS Helpline South Africa

Free and confidential helpline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Provides information, counselling referrals, and support for those affected by HIV and AIDS across South Africa.

0800 012 322 (Free, 24/7)
02
Government HIV Testing & Treatment

HIV testing (HCT) and antiretroviral treatment (ART) are available free of charge at all government clinics in the Western Cape. No referral needed. Available to all residents regardless of status.

Western Cape Health
03
ACSA National HIV & AIDS Response

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa maintains a national HIV response programme. Resources, training materials, and diocesan support are available through the ACSA provincial office.

Visit ACSA
04
Diocesan Resources for Clergy & Parishes

Pastoral guides, sermon resources, education toolkits, and World AIDS Day liturgical materials are available from the Diocesan office — including the HIV & AIDS Pastoral Guide, Preaching Without Stigma resources, and the Parish Education Toolkit.

Request Resources
"

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38–39