THE PRIMATE’S WORLD RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT FUND
REPORT TO GENERAL SYNOD

MAY 2004

Introduction

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) stands as living proof that an Anglican institution can undergo processes of fundamental institutional change and yet remain true to its Anglican identity, its institutional mandate as the international development ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada, and to its partnership relations with parishes and dioceses across the country as well as with its development partners in aboriginal communities in different parts of Canada and development partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The PWRDF Board of Directors and staff have worked assiduously over the last four years to consolidate the institutional changes brought about by its incorporation as a free standing, charitable not for profit Anglican corporation.

PWRDF operated from 1959 until 2000 as a department of General Synod under the oversight of a National Committee of General Synod. In 1999, at the suggestion of senior officials of General Synod, subsequently supported by both the PWRDF National Committee and the Council of General Synod, PWRDF proceeded with separate incorporation so that PWRDF would have the legal status to guarantee the intent of all future donations, bequests, and contributions. With effective legal advice and support, the National Committee and staff negotiated a set of letters patent and by-laws, which served as the basis for applications to Industry Canada and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, for incorporation and registration as a charitable not for profit corporation respectively. PWRDF incorporation as The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund/ Le fonds du Primat pour le secours et le développement mondial was approved under federal corporation legislation in May 2000 and PWRDF registration as a charity was obtained from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency in September 2000. The members of the PWRDF National Committee agreed to remain as the first Directors of the new corporation. The dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada became the Voting Members for the new corporation while all of the parishes have been identified as Associate Members. PWRDF held its first Annual General Meeting in November 2001.

Over the last three years, the Board of Directors and PWRDF staff have worked to provide clarification of who we are, what we do, with whom, and when. This process of clarification of our identity received considerable attention during a joint strategic planning process, which occurred in 2003. The strategic plan, approved by the Board of Directors in November 2003, includes the following summary of our identity, the principles which underlie our work, as well as our preferred ways of working in pursuing our work as the international development ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada:

Biblical Principles - What We Proclaim!

We believe in a theology of action, in response to God’s call, which strives to make a positive impact in a world of suffering.

We believe in the importance of cultivating hope and joy as an integral part of faith-based development work. Through our work, we strive to act as a leaven in the world, to lift up and promote something new and holy. Hence, our development work seeks both to affirm the glory of God's creation around us as well as to share the fruits of God's abundant love with others in all of its forms, both material and spiritual.

We believe that God's love, and the peace that flows from it, can only be found in community based upon right relations. Through our work, be it at the local, regional or global level, we seek to rebuild community by supporting and aligning with the poor and the oppressed in their struggle for justice, seeking to uphold God's inclusive call to promote the dignity of all human beings.

a) Development Principles - What We Denounce!

• We denounce the chronic, systematic, and enforced nature of poverty and suffering in the world;
• We denounce the concentration of power in the hands of the few, and the use of violence and human rights abuses as the means of retaining that power;
• We denounce all forms of social marginalization in the world, including those based upon national or ethnic origin, race, class, religious identity, political persuasion, gender, sexual orientation or age;
• We denounce development ideologies that promote abstract processes over human needs and desires;
• We denounce allowing institutional preservation to take precedence over our work to promote human freedom;
• We denounce the greed that allows unceasing environmental degradation and the exploitative use of the Earth’s finite resources;
• We denounce ongoing and unresolved injustices in the world.

b) Development Principles - What We Support!

We base our work upon a set of practical ethical principles that guide both the goals we hope to achieve as well as how we go about achieving them.

First, there are five main principles around which our development work revolves, all aimed at attacking the root causes of poverty and violence and promoting the basic right to development:

• We provide basic necessities for all, especially those in situations of crisis and extreme marginalization;
• We promote human freedom that allows all people the right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from their own development;
• We foster development processes consistent with preserving the integrity of creation and people’s right to live in a safe and healthy environment;
• We work for the creation and strengthening of just and accountable social, economic, and political institutions and structures at the global level that facilitate the advancement of human freedom and respect for human rights;
• We advocate for changes to policies and practices of Canadian actors that contribute to the perpetuation of global injustices.

Second, we believe that there is a direct and positive relationship between how we work and development success. The principles, which guide our ‘ways of working’, are as follows:

• We recognize people as the authors of their own development;
• We commit to development processes that are inclusive, respectful of the other, and based upon a participatory approach;
• We base our work within a framework of socio-economic, cultural, civil, and political rights, respecting the principles of equality and non-discrimination;
• We strive to create development relationships based upon partnership, solidarity, and mutual exchange;
• We are open to partnerships that transcend denominational, religious and ideological divides while staying true to our own Christian and Anglican roots and principles;
• We pledge to maintain relationships and ‘ways of working’ that are accountable and transparent;
• We confront sources of injustice in non-violent ways.

PWRDF Strategic Plan 2004 - 7

Relations with General Synod

Considerable thought has been given to the distinctiveness of PWRDF within the Anglican Church of Canada as well as within the international development cooperation community in Canada. As part of its recent 2003 strategic planning process, PWRDF identified the following distinctive Anglican qualities:

• PWRDF has a leadership role in working with the Anglican Church of Canada, with a mandate, work plans, staff, volunteers, processes, and resources committed to social change;
• PWRDF is the direct expression of the will of our Church, of our faith in action;
• PWRDF is unique within the Anglican Church of Canada in maintaining the connection between the Gospel messages, theological reflection, and actions related to social change in the PWRDF program of development projects, advocacy, education, communications, and social mobilization;
• PWRDF is distinctive in sustaining the connection between social change agents among our development partners and our PWRDF volunteer networks;
• PWRDF is distinctive among the elements of the national work of the Anglican Church of Canada in its commitment to allocating resources and processes necessary to ensure that PWRDF remains a learning institution;
• PWRDF provides a rare opportunity to live as a national Church community with other people from different regional, social, cultural, economic realities brought together out of a shared commitment to justice;
• PWRDF is distinctive among Anglican institutions in its commitment to striking an effective balance between the historic values and traditions of the Anglican Church with new visions, gained through our development work and our partner relations, that will attract youth and others seeking new ways of participating in the life of the Church;
• PWRDF is one of only two Canadian Anglican institutions bearing the name of The Primate, thus ensuring our niche within the Church for the use of his title, his expression of commitment to social justice action by the Church, as expressed in his participation in the life of PWRDF.

PWRDF Strategic Plan 2004 - 7

At the same time as working to define its role within the wider Church, PWRDF has continued to define the parameters of its working relations with General Synod. These working relations have been based on a Memorandum of Understanding between The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund and General Synod signed in 2000. PWRDF has developed its observer status at different decision-making bodies within General Synod such as the Council of General Synod, Mission Coordination Group, and the General Synod Management Team. PWRDF was not represented formally at the last General Synod in June 2001 in Waterloo, Ontario. However, the Council of General Synod responded to a formal request from the PWRDF Board of Director to allow participation in the 2004 General Synod through approval of the following recommended change to the Rules of Order and Procedure:

During the meeting of the General Synod, the Treasurer, overseas, ecumenical and indigenous partners, and representatives of The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund are entitled to be present and, subject to these Rules of Order and Procedure, to participate in any discussion without the right to vote. Section 3c, Handbook

PWRDF will have representation at General Synod 2004 and will again participate fully in discussions around issues related to the PWRDF mandate as the international development ministry of the Anglican Church, working on issues of social and economic justice.

However, representation at the significant decision making bodies of General Synod is not the sole strategy requiring constant care and attention by PWRDF. PWRDF has begun to work on coordination of financial development strategies with the fundraising efforts of other departments of General Synod and other areas of the Church. Financial development remains a significant challenge to every part of the Anglican Church of Canada. Faced with increasing and competing demands from all sectors of society for their donation dollars, Canadian Anglicans face an especially difficult choice among the requests for their support which come from their parish, their diocese as well as the different areas of the work of the national Church, such as PWRDF, the Healing Fund, the Anglican Journal, the Anglican Appeal and the Anglican Foundation. At the same time, Canadian Anglicans carry with them the additional responsibility of responding to the Settlement Fund, set up as part of the historic agreement between the federal government and the General Synod to raise the funds necessary to pay compensation for the judgments made on the cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse suffered by aboriginal peoples in residential schools.

The financial development challenge for all of these important pieces of work by the national Church is to remember that all of these appeals for financial support go to the same people, the faithful Canadian Anglicans in the pews in parishes across the country. Out of respect for the tradition of faith filled generosity by Canadian Anglicans and the unprecedented demand on them for financial support from different sectors of the Church, it is essential that PWRDF, along with all of the other entities within the Anglican Church of Canada coordinate its work more effectively. To date some exploratory meetings have taken place to look at coordination of financial development. It must be recognized that a coordinated strategy will have to be negotiated among all of those seeking financial support from Canadian Anglicans. It remains to be seen what form such a coordinated strategy would/ should take as General Synod pursues its ‘Letting Down the Nets’ financial development strategy.

Mandate

Throughout this period of institutional transformation, The Primate’s Fund has continued its service as the international development ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada.

In doing so, the Primate’s Fund has stood by its Mission Statement, which was developed more than a decade ago as a statement of our faith and our commitment to action with our partners towards a more just and equitable world:

PWRDF is a response by Canadian Anglicans to the gospel call to bear witness to God’s healing love in a broken world. Inspired by a vision of a spirit filled community of hope, PWRDF walks together with partners in Canada and overseas, to share in the creation of a more just and peaceful world. In joy and struggle, the Primate’s Fund engages in development work, responds to emergencies, works to protect refugees, and educates and advocates for change.

This commitment to social action as an expression of our faith has been re-affirmed by the PWRDF National Committee and subsequently by the PWRDF Board of Directors during two processes of strategic planning, undertaken in 2000 and 2003. During the latter process, the Board of Directors wished to give greater clarification to this commitment through the expression of a new Vision Statement:

Communities restored to right relations in response to God’s call for peace, equality, and the dignity of every human being

In order to pursue this vision of PWRDF’s work in Canada and in the world, the Board of Directors continues to affirm the strategic themes, which articulate the work of the Fund:

Weaving a Culture of Peace with Justice
Building a Moral Economy
Accompanying Communities in Crisis

The three strategic themes were prepared, as part of the previous 2001-2004 strategic planning cycle, in an effort to both encompass, and provide focus for, a wide variety of social and economic justice initiatives being implemented by our development partners, both for people living and working in enduring communities as well as for those people whose circumstances are so extreme that they have been forced to flee their home communities. In developing the three Strategic Themes, the staff and Board of Directors elected to formulate all-encompassing themes or to ‘throw the net wide’ in order to capture all of the different regional and functional initiatives supported by PWRDF in different geographic settings and widely differing socio-economic and environmental settings. These ‘big tent’ statements of our strategic themes proved to be an important point of access for PWRDF as the agency began to think, plan, and act more strategically. The themes provided Board and staff with the opportunity to visualize the program and formulate more precise concepts, strategies and approaches.

During the intervening triennium, the challenges of this ‘big tent’ approach have become more evident in two significant areas of PWRDF work: the interpretation of our Strategic Themes and measurement of results as these themes are converted into action. In interpreting the themes, the concepts are so wide-ranging and the projects supported in each of the thematic areas are so diverse, that it has proven difficult at times to communicate to our donors and our networks the relation between the broad sweeping themes and the concrete reality of project implementation. More significantly, the challenge of measurement has been raised by the increasing commitment by PWRDF to results based management (RBM). Throughout this last strategic planning cycle, staff has faced up to the challenge of developing effective quantitative and qualitative indicators to measure the implementation of the activities carried out in each of the thematic areas.

PWRDF has elected to retain the existing Strategic Themes for the upcoming extended 2004-2010 strategic planning period. The Board of Directors and staff believe strongly that the three Strategic Themes are an appropriate reflection of our mandate as a faith based organization deeply committed to peace, equity, and social and economic justice. In our relations with our development partners, our volunteer networks, donors, and significant contributors, we will work to provide greater focus and clarity in the expression, communication and transformation of these Strategic Themes into project activities that respond to the needs of our partners and the project participants.

Governance

The Board of Directors and staff have given a great deal of attention over the last few years to the questions of the governance of the new organization. A key step in this process was the approval in April 2001, with subsequent revisions, of a Statement of Principles of Governance, which outlines the roles, responsibilities and relations of the Board of Directors, the Standing Committees, and the staff, especially the Executive Director in the governance of the new emerging organization.

We affirm our shared commitment to love, trust, confidence in one another, forgiveness, mutual respect, mutual support, the recognition of God’s presence in each of us and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our work to develop an enabling model of governance according to the following [principles, ways of working, responsibilities].

Statement of Principles of Governance

The Statement of Principles of Governance has been very helpful is providing guidance to both Board and staff as we have worked together on refining our internal processes for policy development, oversight of agency operations, and decision making on significant issues.

The by-law of the organization states clearly that the membership of the Board of Directors shall include a bishop, members of the clergy and the laity, in addition to representatives of our international development partners, a representative of our aboriginal development partners, and a representative of our aboriginal partners in the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP). This balance of membership has been retained from the time of the PWRDF National Committee.

However, the means of nomination and election has changed substantially since incorporation with the work of a Nominating Committee, which has three members, including The Primate. This Nominating Committee has now met three times and has made a substantial contribution towards the work of the Primate’s Fund as it has undergone a process of Board renewal. The first Directors of PWRDF were the same committee people, who had agreed to remain on the new Board of Directors. However, it was agreed at that time, that a third of the Board would step down to be replaced with new members in each of the first three years of operation of the new corporation.

PWRDF has now completed that process with a Board of Directors, which retains its institutional balance as required by the by-law as well as being geographically diverse and representational of the contribution of our partner organizations:

In addition to refining its operations as a Board of Directors, the Directors have established several Standing Committees to provide closer oversight of PWRDF operations:

The Executive Committee, consisting of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the chairs of the Standing Committees (ex-officio), meets frequently throughout the year so as to make decisions on behalf of the Board of Directors so that the PWRDF work can move forward smoothly and effectively between the semi-annual meetings of the Board of Directors.

The Development Programme Committee which provides oversight to the development program in Canada and overseas, addressing issues related to program development, relations with development partners, and implementation of projects receiving PWRDF support, as well as institutional policy development and public policy and advocacy work undertaken by PWRDF;

The Public Engagement Committee which provides oversight to the institutional life of PWRDF, specifically the PWRDF membership located in dioceses and parishes across the country. In doing so the Public Engagement Committee looks at issues related to information education, social mobilization, and advocacy undertaken by the PWRDF membership, production and distribution of PWRDF and ecumenical resources throughout the PWRDF membership, ecumenical relations with regards to education and awareness raising and social mobilization campaigns and advocacy initiatives in Canada, communications and financial development initiatives, engagement with youth on social justice issues, institutional policy development and public policy and advocacy undertaken by PWRDF;

The Finance Committee which provides oversight to the financial operations of PWRDF, assists with the development of the short-, medium-, and long - term operational budgets for PWRDF, develops guidelines and frameworks for decision making around institutional finances, provides oversight to the investment of institutional reserve funds.

In addition to the work of these three major standing committees, the Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, a Personnel Committee, and a Nominating Committee, with clear and apparent responsibilities.

During this reporting period, PWRDF has held two Annual General Meetings, egional meetings of members, in addition to its regular Board of Directors’ meetings. One of the unexpected outcomes of the agency incorporation has been the rise in what could be called ‘representational expenses’, the cost of bringing together people from across the country and the world to take part in the decision making related to the governance of The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund. While of critical importance to the institutional life of PWRDF, these representational expenses form an issue of interest and concern to donors. Consequently, they are an issue of continuing concern to the Board of Directors, responsible for financial oversight of the organization.

After reflecting on this issue of representational expenses, the Board of Directors made the decision that the full Annual General Meeting would be held only every second year, in connection with national meetings of Representatives from all of the dioceses for information sharing, training, planning, and decision making by these representatives of the PWRDF networks. In the intervening year, the Annual General Meeting would be held with the majority of the Voting Members (the Board of Directors and the dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada) voting by proxy. In order to ensure that lines of accountability were maintained and that members had access to the necessary information on agency operations, regional meetings of members were held in the fall of 2002 in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Montreal, which were attended by representatives of parishes and dioceses from the four ecclesiastical provinces. PWRDF has, so far, held two full Annual General Meetings in 2001 and 2003 and the intervening Annual General Meeting by proxy vote in 2002. While ensuring that all legal requirements are complied with, the Board of Directors have ensured that representational expenses have remained within appropriate limits.

Planning, Policies, Procedures

The work of the Board of Directors has been considerably enhanced by focussed work done by task groups, constituted by decisions of the Board of Directors, to address specific areas of agency work primarily in the area of strategic planning, policy development or conjunctural issues such as development of budgeting guidelines.

The Board of Directors has devoted considerable time to the development of a new strategic plan. The Board also made a decision in 2003 to move to an extended ten year strategic planning cycle, in three year increments with a final year for evaluation and renewal, to bring PWRDF strategic planning more in line with our programming cycle. During 2003, a strategic planning task group worked on the new strategic plan, covering the period 2004-2007. Many sections of this new strategic plan have been referred to in earlier sections of this report. The new plan reaffirms the strategic themes and setting new goals and objectives to facilitate program planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. At the same time, the new plan more clearly articulates the PWRDF identity within the Anglican Church of Canada and within the community of Canadian international cooperation agencies as well as renewing our partnerships with our development partners in Canada and overseas as well as our volunteer partners in parishes across the country.

The new strategic plan proved helpful in the development of a new multi-year submission to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Due to constant on-going processes of administrative changes, the preparation of this multi-year submission has been more than usually complex as PWRDF, and other international cooperation agencies, endeavour to comply with CIDA’s constantly changing administrative requirements. The new submission was approved in March 2004 and a new three year contributions agreement signed with the Canadian International Development Agency.

The Board of Directors has shown special attention to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibility through the work of two task forces, which addressed specific issues related to budget preparation and monitoring. The work of these latter task forces have ensured that PWRDF maintained its well deserved reputation for sound fiscal management and effective use of its resources.

In 2002, a special task group was established to develop guidelines for a new procedure for approval of projects as part of the PWRDF program. This was done so as to streamline and centralize the approval process for projects as well as to clarify the criteria for project selection. Rather than having projects approved by different regional and functional sub-committees and then ratified by the Board, the staff now prepare a single program submission, including all of the development projects, which is then reviewed by the Development Program Committee for recommendation for Board approval. A new process called the Project/Program Approval Checklist (PPAC) summarizes all of the different lenses that PWRDF uses for project selection and subsequently provides a useful framework for monitoring project implementation. At the same time, the PPAC process enables the Board to devote its time to policy formulation and general program oversight rather than engaging itself with program administration issues and procedures.

The task groups have worked closely with staff counterparts over the last three years in the development of a new Partnership Policy and a new Evaluation Policy, as well as continuing work on the Culture of Inclusion Policy. In the coming months, the Board of Directors will be directing its attention to development of a new Advocacy Policy, which will enable PWRDF to speak out appropriately and effectively on many social and economic justice issues of concern to the agency and to the wider Church. These task groups are task specific and report directly to the Board of Directors while providing Directors with a focussed opportunity to work over time limited periods on issues of great importance and interest to PWRDF.

During the last three years, PWRDF completed work on an Environment Policy with an accompanying implementation plan which is being monitored by staff. The Environment Policy brings PWRDF into compliance with requirement of the Canadian International Development Agency, which provides significant funding to PWRDF, as well as to the Canadian Council for International Cooperation, of which PWRDF is a member.

Statement

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund/ Le fonds du Primat pour le secours et le développement mondial (PWRDF) is committed to the promotion of sustainable practises that improve both the natural environment and the holistic quality of the lives of people and their communities. In the programmes it supports, PWRDF commits itself to participatory needs assessment, planning, activity and site selection, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes with its partners that enhance the natural and socio-cultural environments, and to the integration of environmental objectives with other objectives.

Goal

The goal of the Environment Policy is to enhance the mission of PWRDF by contributing to ecological stewardship through respect for, and awareness of the natural environment; the promotion of its just and proper use, and self-critical reflection for remedial environmental action on the part of its staff, partners, supporters, and constituencies.

PWRDF Environment Policy

Accountability

One of the most positive outcomes of the incorporation of PWRDF has been the strengthening of the lines of accountability within the new corporation. With incorporation, the Board of Directors has fiduciary responsibility for the operations of the Primate’s Fund, something that the PWRDF National Committee did not have while PWRDF remained as part of General Synod. The PWRDF Board of Directors takes very seriously this heightened role and responsibility for oversight of the operations of PWRDF, specifically the financial management and administration of funds and the delivery of the overall PWRDF program in Canada and overseas.

At the same time, these lines of accountability are further strengthened through the PWRDF membership structure. The dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada are the Voting Members of the corporation, along with the Directors of the corporation. The dioceses, through a variety of means, choose their Diocesan Representatives to act on their behalf at the Annual General Meetings. PWRDF provides the Voting Membership with all of the necessary information required for making the crucial decisions at the Annual General Meetings, which are their responsibility, such as the approval of audited statements and the election of Directors of the corporation. The parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada represent the Associate Members, who are non-voting members of the corporation, who nevertheless have the right to be kept informed of all aspects of PWRDF operations.

PWRDF has always enjoyed close relations with both the dioceses and parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada, most especially in the last decade with the implementation of the Parish and Diocesan Partnership Program (PDPP). As such, both parishes and dioceses have been regular recipients of both resources and information on the PWRDF operations, most especially the projects supported through its development program. This close relation has evolved since incorporation with greater efforts by PWRDF to maintain transparency of agency operations through regular information sharing by means of an information newsletter, and a regular news update on our e-mail list serve, and the PWRDF website, www.pwrdf.org. Members of the PWRDF networks, both at the parish and diocesan levels, maintain fairly constant communication with appropriate staff contacts, especially those within the Public Engagement Team, which has assumed responsibility for organizational development and institutional strengthening within our own organization. PWRDF staff and Board members respond on a regular basis to requests for speakers to address the congregations about the work of PWRDF. Not only do these Sunday speaking engagements provide an important opportunity to raise the profile of PWRDF and engage in a new way with parishes, they also provide an opportunity for reinforcing the lines of accountability between PWRDF and the parishes, who are all the Associate Members of the incorporated PWRDF.

HIV/AIDS

“That the impact of AIDS is so monumental on societies as a whole, and on communities and families in particular, that there is no precedent in human history, that there's nothing, from the Black Death [a European plague in the fourteenth century] to the world wars of the twentieth century, that even approximates it. That we've never had such numbers, we've never seen the focus on a gender, we've never had so many orphans, we've never had so many societal breakdowns in various sectors, that what's happening here is just an overwhelming concatenation of events, of which there are no modern parallels, and therefore we have to respond in ways that are unprecedented.” Stephen Lewis

PWRDF has focussed its attention with ever-greater intensity during the last three years on the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Although PWRDF staff has been aware of the growing crisis for the last twenty years, our development partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have become more insistent in their demands that PWRDF take action to address the global pandemic. They have told us that it is no longer sufficient to include HIV/AIDS awareness as one of the strategies in health promotion projects supported by PWRDF but that the agency must direct increasing percentages of its programming towards HIV/AIDS affected populations.

The issues related to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic have worked their way through discussion, reflection and decision making within PWRDF during 2002, culminating in the approval of the Statement on HIV/AIDS by the Board of Directors:

Statement on HIV/AIDS

During the preparation of the 2001-2004 Strategic Plan, PWRDF Board of Directors and staff acknowledged the growing global pandemic of HIV/AIDS, particularly in eastern and southern Africa. However, the social and economic impacts of armed conflicts and globalization were seen as being both more universal and having a deeper effect in all of the countries in which PWRDF maintains relations with development partners. At that time, HIV/AIDS was given primary consideration as a health issue, not a priority strategy in the PWRDF program.

Our on-going deliberations with our development partners in Africa as well as intensive engagement in the policy debate around NEPAD has brought PWRDF to a profound reflection on the impact of HIV/AIDS on its African program as well as in other regions in the world in which it is working. The programming and advocacy experiences of the last few years has brought the agency to the realization that HIV/AIDS is not solely a health crisis but rather a profound social and economic crisis affecting every country. A critical factor is the difference between rates of .2 - .5% in the developed countries of North America and Europe and rates from a low of 3% up to 30% in the developing countries of eastern and southern Africa. The most recent information points to a growing crisis in south Asia and China, and possibly in Central America and the Caribbean. Everywhere it is the poor and marginalized who suffer disproportionately from HIV/AIDS.

There are cause and effect links between poverty and health, between Structural Adjustment Programs and weakened health infrastructure, therefore between economic justice and HIV/AIDS. There are direct links between violent conflict, migration and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Taking a broader view, the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS combined with the death rates among the 15 – 45 years age group make HIV/AIDS a human security crisis with serious threats of social, economic and political instability: 5500 Africans die every day from AIDS, far surpassing malaria as a cause of death, and more than the numbers killed in conflict. The crisis affects African girls and women disproportionately as they suffer higher rates of infection, take the care burden, lose education, and are the objects of rape / sexual slavery in violent conflicts. HIV/AIDS has exceeded any earlier estimates of its prevalence, its rate of growth and deaths, its selective effects on women, infants, youth and adults between the ages of 25 and 45. The impact of HIV/AIDS is incalculable on government, the civil service, health and education and other social services, the professional class, the productive sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing in every country of sub-Saharan Africa. PWRDF’s church partners in the region have declared the pandemic a priority, acting both in delivery of social services to the afflicted families and communities as well as ministering to those suffering directly and indirectly from HIV/AIDS.

Since its first appearance more than twenty years ago, HIV/AIDS has been a component of PWRDF supported health promotion programs in sub-Saharan Africa. However, our development partners are increasingly calling on PWRDF to increase its support to both health care and health promotion programs focussing on HIV/AIDS as an expression of its engagement to protecting and saving a generation of children, women, and families throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As a faith based international development agency, PWRDF sees this engagement as a moral and social justice imperative.

HIV/AIDS is a tragedy that must be considered beyond the dimensions of an emergency that requires a focus and visible response bearing in mind the financial and human capacity of PWRDF, and ongoing commitments to partners and programs.

Our daily engagement with our development partners in communities across central and southern Africa compels us to acknowledge that engagement with HIV/AIDS programming would represent a faithful interpretation of Accompanying Communities in Crisis. Caught in the upsweep of a cresting wave of incidence of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and globally, PWRDF has no choice but to prove itself as a flexible, creative, and responsible development organization, ready to stand in faith filled solidarity with our partners. PWRDF accepts the challenge offered to us by our partners in Africa and elsewhere and we acknowledge their leadership in developing local solutions to this social and economic crisis and stand ready to act decisively to prevent the loss of the current and future generations of our sisters and brothers in Africa and elsewhere.

PWRDF STATEMENT ON HIV/AIDS
Adopted by the PWRDF Board of Directors
November 2, 2002

With the approval of the HIV/AIDS policy statement, PWRDF has begun work on the implementation of Partnership for Life… For a Generation without AIDS. This new initiative is designed to be:

Systemic ~ A ddressing the factors that intensify the spread of the disease and undermine the health of communities – income, nutrition, education, sanitation, healthcare, women’s empowerment, migration, human rights, discrimination, and conflict.

Steadfast ~ Supporting programs within existing partnership relationships and allowing partners to expand and consolidate the work they are already doing. Current priority countries are: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and South Africa.

Responsive ~ Pending a successful fundraising initiative we will expand the program to new partners, thus far identified as Mozambique and Ethiopia. Further initiatives will be pursued as funds allow with other regions and highly affected populations.

Comprehensive ~Including components of education, fundraising, communication, network activities and advocacy.

PWRDF recognizes that an engagement with the worldwide struggle against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic represents a long term commitment of will, effort, and resources by the agency. PWRDF has decided upon an initial 2003 – 2007 time frame so as to encourage strategic thinking, planning, and action balanced with a sustained commitment to monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the strategy and assessment of its effectiveness in meeting the needs of people living and working on HIV/AIDS related issues in addition to raising awareness, engaging with Canadian Anglicans in this struggle, and changing attitudes and behaviour here in Canada as well as overseas with regards to stigma and discrimination.

To this end, PWRDF is implementing an integrated, comprehensive strategy, based on four inter-related elements:

Fundraising

Raise an additional $1,000,000 to increase our capacity to respond to partners’ initiatives.

Development

Support community led development initiatives to help people affected by HIV/AIDS take control of their own lives, including: health education, medication and care for the sick, youth programs, pastoral care initiatives, anti-poverty work, women’s empowerment, and long-term strategies to address violence and conflict.

Education & CommunicationRaise awareness and deepen involvement of Canadian Anglicans in issues related to HIV/AIDS.

Advocacy & Action

Change policies and practices that increase harm – at the global level of international financial institutions and at the level of our communities addressing stigma and discrimination.

Engagement with Ecumenical Partners

‘Act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately’ Lund Principle

The Primate’s Fund has always taken very seriously its responsibility to live out the meaning of the Lund Principle, to always work ecumenically except in those situations when one has no alternative but to act denominationally. Therefore, PWRDF has maintained close working relations with our ecumenical partners, both nationally here in Canada through PWRDF’s continued support of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, as well as internationally through the World Council of Churches and through PWRDF support of the work of Action by Churches Together (ACT), a global ecumenical response for disaster and emergency assistance.

Largely at the initiative of the Anglican Church of Canada, several churches and church related development organization initiated a process in 1999 of re-configuration of the existing inter-church coalitions working on a range of social and economic justice issues, carrying out research, public policy, advocacy, accompaniment, public education, and social mobilization. The coalitions were merged into one organization, a representative Board of Directors was formed, and an Executive Director hired in 2000. In 2001, the name of the new organization was formally changed to KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives to acknowledge its ecumenically based work on issues of global justice in the ‘kairos’ moment of transformation through faith. Throughout this extended period of institutional transformation, the Board of Directors has maintained a ‘hands on’ role providing close oversight over the operations of KAIROS, as it continued to put together the different elements of its corporate structure as well as implementing the different elements of its integrated program. KAIROS continues to operate under the legal and administrative aegis of the United Church of Canada under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by all the churches and church related development organizations represented on the Board of Directors.

The organization of work of KAIROS continues to evolve as the work of the earlier inter-church coalitions are coalesced and focussed into the work of the single organization. This has been a difficult process for all concerned, most especially for the staff of the earlier coalitions who moved to join the staff of the new coalition. In the effort to merge and refine much of the earlier work of the coalitions, some work has had to be seen in a different light, presented in new approaches and strategies, and some work has had to be set aside. This work on clarification of the mandate of KAIROS will likely continue for years to come as the organization defines its own work at the same time as it clarifies its role, responsibilities and working relations with the churches and church related development organizations.

The KAIROS mandate is currently organized into six major areas of work, which are being implemented with the oversight of Program Committees of the KAIROS Board of Directors:

• Aboriginal Issues
• Eco-Justice
• International Human Rights
• Global Economic Justice
• Canadian Social Development Issues
• Advocacy, Communications, Education

The KAIROS Board of Directors has worked to more clearly define the purpose of the new coalition and, consequently, its relation with the churches and church related organizations which have given it life. The KAIROS work is seen as being independent yet complementary to the work done by the churches and church related organizations in many of these fields. Invariably, KAIROS is supportive of the work done denominationally. In some cases, the presence of KAIROS facilitates the making of strategic choices in programming. As examples, PWRDF works exclusively in the Middle East through its involvement in KAIROS’ programs in the region. In addition, PWRDF has decided to work ecumenically with its faith partners in Canada by participating actively in the KAIROS national advocacy, communications, and educations campaigns. As such PWRDF is working through its network of PWRDF volunteers in parishes across Canada in promoting the ‘Honour God’s Creation’ multi-year campaign by KAIROS, planned and implemented in 2003 - 2006. In the first year, the focus of the campaign will be ‘Cultivating Just Peace’, which fits with, and supports PWRDF’s work on our Weaving a Culture of Peace with Justice’ strategic theme.

Internationally, PWRDF continues to work ecumenically through its Global Program by supporting the World Council of Churches (WCC), especially its work on Indigenous Peoples, HIV/AIDS, and the Decade to Overcome Violence, as well as the regional entities such as FECCLAHA (Fellowship of Churches and Councils of Churches of the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa). The Executive Director became a member of the WCC Commission on Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC), thus strengthening PWRDF’s ecumenical presence and commitment to the WCC. Effective participation in decision making within the WCC is especially critical at this point in time as the WCC undergoes a period of transition with new leadership and adjustment to new financial realities and institutional realities within the member churches and their relations with the WCC.

PWRDF remains actively engaged with Action by Churches Together (ACT) the ecumenical response to international disasters and emergencies. At the same time as being active in the decision making within the organization, PWRDF has been a constant donors to the many appeals for assistance channelled through ACT. In the last three years, PWRDF has channelled funding through to emergency situations in every continent. Through its policy on responses to domestic emergencies, PWRDF has also been able to respond to a limited number of domestic emergencies such as damage and loss of livelihood due to flooding in Newfoundland and forest fires in British Columbia.