Capacity-building training on HIV in Lao People's Democratic Republic

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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05 March 2024

Vientiane, Lao PDR: national capacity-building training on HIV programme on participants 2024

Vientiane, Lao PDR: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) conducted a national capacity-building training on HIV in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic from 27–29 February 2024. 

The CCA programme was jointly organised with the CCA’s only member church in the country, the Lao Evangelical Church (LEC). 

A total of 26 participants representing 17 different congregations and local organisations took part from both northern and southern parts of the country, including tribal regions. 

The sessions addressed topics such as the HIV situation in Lao PDR, concepts and terminologies within HIV care, the SAVE approach, health and healing, overcoming stigma and discrimination, strengths and opportunities for HIV advocacy by churches, assessment tools, evaluations, biblical-theological reflections, and contextual Bible studies. 

Several participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about HIV and its community impacts in detail, which they had not experienced earlier. The training not only provided information but also facilitated discussions on challenging norms for meaningful social change in Lao PDR.

A pastor serving in remote areas shared that he plans to incorporate the knowledge gained into his Sunday sermons, aiming to debunk misconceptions and foster a positive attitude towards PLHIV in the community.

The national-level training in Lao PDR was organised under the CCA’s special project, the Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA). 

For more photos (Photo Gallery), please click here: National capacity-building training on HIV in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 27–29 February 2024