Following consultations during the planning committee meeting and the conference, the gathering of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians in Addis Ababa developed a new Plan of Action which will guide the activities of the Circle for the next five years.

Circle Plan of Action

Research and Writing

1. Continue research and writing about HIV/AIDS, including stories of those living with AIDS.
2. Explore the possibility of other publication forms, e.g. videos, oral histories

Educational Programming and Curriculum

3. Train counsellors for HIV/AIDS work
4. Incorporate HIV/AIDS training in Ministerial Formation courses in the Theological Institutions. Support and participate actively in the WCC plan of action in:
   
   
   1. training theological faculty;
   2. training both current seminarians and alumni to use AIDS curriculum;
   3. re-reading and re-interpreting the scriptures from an African woman's perspective.
   
   
   
5. Incorporate HIV/AIDS training in gender courses in colleges and universities.
   
6. Promote safe sex practices through educational programs and workshops in the home, faith communities, and society.
   
7. Promote good health and nutrition and regular medical check ups.

Religious and Cultural Traditions

8. Advocacy to counter harmful cultural and religious practices and retrieve positive ones.
9. Honour women's bodies and increase women's self esteem.

Communication

10. Regularly update the membership database.
11. Encourage the use and maintenance of the website.
12. Maintain and circulating the Bibliography of Circle Member publications.
13. Encourage the development of Circle newsletters.

Publishing
An ad hoc committee was nominated to look into issues of a publishing policy. Other areas to be explored include electronic publishing.

Institutionalisation of the Circle
The Circle so far has been functioning as a movement. There is a need to institutionalise the movement. Exploration on a constitution as well as a permanent voice will be agreed on over the next five years.

Funding
More strategic budgeting and fundraising is necessary especially to support the institutionalising of the Circle and more programmed research.

Roles and Responsibilities of Circle Members
At the Chapter level, Chapter leaders will:

1. initiate and coordinate chapters of the Circle;
2. communicate with the relevant linguistic coordinator;
3. coordinate meetings to discuss papers for publication.

General Circle Membership and their mandate

1. Commit to research and writing;
2. Stimulate theological dialogue, reflection and critical analysis from the perspective of women both within the Circle and beyond;
3. Commit to do research with, rather than merely about, grassroots women and ensure to acknowledge them in the outcome of research;
4. Keep the Circle coordinators apprised of changes of addresses etc., so that a correct database can be maintained;
5. Help in the distribution of Circle publications and their promotion;
6. Be willing to volunteer their time, skills, and resources in order to enhance the work of the Circle e.g. editing papers submitted to conferences, editing Circle books, contributions to website, etc.