Promoting reproductive health through religion<\/p>\n
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) executive director
\nThoraya Ahmed Obaid recently visited Indonesia to promote gender
\nequality and equity, as well as reproductive health. Obaid, the
\nfirst Saudi Arabian to chair the UN body, stressed the importance
\nof religious leaders taking part in the effort to improve
\nreproductive health in Muslim countries during a conversation
\nwith The Jakarta Post's Tb. Arie Rukmantara.<\/p>\n
Question: In predominantly Muslim countries like Indonesia,
\nthe mullahs are highly respected by the people. How can they
\ncontribute to improving reproductive health?<\/p>\n
Answer: In a Muslim society like Indonesia, a very important
\nprinciple of Islam is preserving your health, which supports your
\nthinking, analytical abilities and knowledge. Knowledge is the
\nbasis on which we make good or bad decisions. The whole society
\nhas to be knowledgeable about HIV\/AIDS so that people know how to
\nact in a responsible way.<\/p>\n
All religions are built on the principles of mercy, compassion
\nand tolerance. So therefore, all religious leaders are
\nresponsible for showing such mercy, compassion and understanding.
\nThey have to play this role by speaking out at every opportunity,
\nduring Friday sermons ... everywhere.<\/p>\n
They have to speak about maternal mortality and how women
\nshould be better treated. They have to speak about HIV\/AIDS and
\nhow young people should be careful and protect themselves.<\/p>\n
They also have to overcome the stigma attached to people
\nliving with HIV\/AIDS as they are sick people.<\/p>\n
It's not enough to just say that this (promiscuity) is
\nforbidden. They have to go beyond haram. Yes, there are certain
\nthings that are haram, but things happen in our society. We
\nshould not close our eyes to this.<\/p>\n
How can the authorities and the people convince religious
\nleaders to adopt this approach?<\/p>\n
Well, it only comes with dialogue. The authorities and NGOs
\nand the mullahs have to get together and discuss the issue
\nopenly.<\/p>\n
One way of doing this is to provide them with statistics about
\nthe reality of the situation.<\/p>\n
We have to say to them, 'Look, so many women die, and they
\nleave the children orphaned. Not only that, often many children
\ndie after their mother's death.'<\/p>\n
We have to show them the number of HIV\/AIDS cases and the
\ndanger if we keep quiet. I think that when the authorities talk
\nto the mullahs and present real facts and evidence of the real
\nsituation, they will be willing to speak out.<\/p>\n
They don't speak out sometimes because they don't have enough
\nfacts. We have to give them enough facts and information so that
\nthey can be knowledgeable.<\/p>\n
But some mullahs refuse to talk about reproductive health issues,
\narguing that they have a different understanding of them,
\nespecially on HIV\/AIDS. How should we make them understand?<\/p>\n
For those who don't want to speak out, of course it is their
\nright not to speak out.<\/p>\n
What I'm saying is that as leaders of the people, they have a
\nmoral responsibility toward the people.<\/p>\n
They have a moral responsibility to point out the basic issue
\nthat women, whom God has created and honored in many ways, are
\ndying simply because of giving birth.<\/p>\n
Now, that's not a controversial issue. I am sure they will
\nspeak out if they understand the problem.<\/p>\n
The problem is that, maybe, we don't communicate with them
\nproperly. We don't give the correct messages. That's why the
\ndialogue between the government, NGOs and mullahs should be based
\non complete information about what is happening in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
We also have to remember that we can't expect all the mullahs
\nto give the same messages. We have to respect the fact that
\nreligious leaders have limitations. We have to respect that there
\nare areas where religious leaders feel free to speak out and
\nthere are some issues about which they do not feel comfortable
\ntalking about.<\/p>\n
And this is where the NGOs, the state and the officials come
\nin. That's why dialogue is important between these parties. Each
\nof them will do particular things in particular areas.
\nWhat does UNFPA do to bridge the information gap?<\/p>\n
We have many conversations, dialogues and conferences with
\nmullahs to present the facts to them. There was an international
\nconference in Pakistan a few months ago, in which Indonesian
\nmullahs participated, about reproductive health and population
\nissues. The mullahs who attended the conference were very
\nsupportive.<\/p>\n
Our program here supports visits between mullahs from here and
\nEgypt for information exchange purposes. We do try to create an
\nenvironment for dialogue and discussion with the mullahs so that
\nthey receive the necessary knowledge.<\/p>\n
Once they get all this knowledge, they will transmit it to the
\npeople because the people believe in them and trust them.
\nCan you point to some Islamic teachings that should encourage
\nmullahs to actively promote reproductive health?<\/p>\n
For example, there is a Koranic verse saying it is not the
\nnumber that matters, it's the quality of the people. And there
\nare many examples of the Koran saying that what are wanted are
\ngood and healthy people.<\/p>\n
What good would it serve you if you have mosques everywhere
\nbut at the same time you let people with HIV\/AIDS die?<\/p>\n
There is a hadith to the effect that when the Prophet Muhammad
\nwas asked who is the closest person to a man, the Prophet said
\nyour mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your
\nfather.<\/p>\n
Mothers have a very special place in Islam. And if you let
\nmothers die, then you are not giving them the honor that Islam
\ndemands.<\/p>",
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