Responding to the worldwide humanitarian crisis of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark initiative June 14 to assist orphans and vulnerable children in the developing world. Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), the Assistance for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act received the unanimous, bipartisan backing of the House and now awaits action in the Senate, where it also enjoys bipartisan support.
The Episcopal Church--which joined other religious bodies, health organizations, and student groups in working for passage of the bill--praised the House for its action. "I applaud the House for passing this bill," said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold. "This bipartisan legislation is an important step in fulfilling our nation's commitment to fighting the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and building a more sustainable future for all God's children."
Halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS is one of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, a series of eight commitments made by the world community, endorsed by the Episcopal Church, for completion before 2015. Thousands of Episcopalians from around the country took action through the Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) by writing, faxing, or calling members of Congress to urge support for the bipartisan orphans bill.
Roots of a humanitarian disaster
The global HIV/AIDS pandemic is one of the major causes of the worldwide orphans crisis. More than 110 million orphans are estimated to live throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Another new child is orphaned by AIDS every 14 seconds. Fourteen million children have already lost one or both parents to AIDS, the equivalent of every child under five in America.
Rarely able to attend school because of an inability to afford fees or because they are forced to support their families financially, orphans are vulnerable to exploitation, including forced labor and physical and sexual abuse. Moreover, many international observers consider the orphans crisis a security threat because children without hope are more likely to be recruited by militias, rebel armies, and terrorists.
The legislation passed by the House authorizes the creation of a new office at the U.S. Agency for International Development to expand the capacity of communities to care for the basic needs of orphans, and promote school nutrition, psychological support, and protection of the rights of orphans.
Furthermore, the bill expands access to school by encouraging countries to eliminate school fees and other barriers to the education of children. According to a recent UNICEF report, eliminating school fees--particularly among girls--would remove a major barrier to education and significantly help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. "Getting girls in school and keeping them there would jump-start progress on the entire development agenda for 2015, known as the Millennium Development Goals," notes UNICEF.
A companion bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), is gathering momentum in the Senate.
Additional work ahead
Senate passage of the legislation would not, however, represent the end of the fight. Even if the Senate joins the House in authorizing the creation of new programs to address the orphans crisis, it will still be incumbent on Congress to provide adequate funding.
"Millions of children are now counting on Congress to not only pass this bill but also provide full funding," noted Dr. Paul Zeitz, executive director of the Global AIDS Alliance.
Leadership in the effort is being provided by Global Action for Children, a civic-engagement campaign to ensure comprehensive support for orphans and vulnerable children. A list of participating organizations, which includes the Episcopal Church, can be found at www.globalactionforchildren.org.
