CCA calls for global solidarity and renewed commitment to ending AIDS on World AIDS Day 2025

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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01 December 2025

Photo credit: UNAIDS

Chiang Mai, Thailand: On World AIDS Day 2025, the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Dr Mathews George Chunakara, issued a statement highlighting the urgent need to strengthen the global HIV response at a time when decades of progress are increasingly at risk.

In 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV worldwide, with 1.3 million new infections and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths. These figures, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO), serve as a grave reminder that the epidemic continues to affect millions of lives.

Reflecting on the 2025 World AIDS Day theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” Dr Chunakara noted that the HIV response across Asia is at a critical juncture. “Reductions in international funding have placed decades of progress at risk, straining healthcare systems and community-led programmes that are vital for reaching those most at risk. In many countries, these pressures are deepening inequalities, particularly for key populations who continue to face stigma, discrimination, and legal barriers that limit access to essential services,” he said.

Dr Chunakara urged global leaders and governments to reaffirm solidarity and maintain funding for countries most affected. He called for greater investment in innovation and stressed the need to uphold human rights and strengthen community empowerment. He further emphasised that the Church and other faith communities have a vital role in supporting these commitments by promoting compassion, challenging stigma, and upholding the dignity of people living with HIV.

“The Church and other faith communities have a key responsibility in working to dismantle the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV and AIDS. The Church can contribute significantly to HIV prevention and education through culturally sensitive awareness initiatives, encouraging voluntary testing, and linking communities to vital services. We must continue to lead with commitment, mobilising our resources and influence to support local HIV programmes and ensure that no one is left behind,” stated Dr Chunakara.

The full text of the CCA General Secretary’s statement can be found here: