A meeting was held between UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Dr. Luiz Loures and CSOs from MENA region in which they discussed the general situation of community, government institutions, and organizational challenges in the region. The following recommendations were reached:

– Take advantage of available opportunities

– Amend international organizations’ and governments’ policies to correspond with the current reality of the region

– Promote opportunities to increase grants for HIV/AIDS response concerning refugees and KPs in general

– The contribution of local leaders, specifically women leaders in order to include HIV/AIDS in women/child programs

– Work on eliminating stigma and discrimination by supporting programs focusing on this subject

– Adjust national programs and strategies to include all KPs’ needs without demographic discrimination

– Involvement of KPs and refugees in decision-making and response planning

– Coordination between the United Nations organizations for a comprehensive response in collaboration with CSOs by creating committees to coordinate between each other and work with CSOs and KPs

– Enable CSOs to create sustainable programs

– Consolidate advocacy efforts to amend laws of the countries working on HIV/AIDS and harm reduction for an inclusive response
– Adjust the agenda of donors with the shifting and urgent needs

At the end of the meeting, CSOs representatives hoped that the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS to take an essential role and support CSOs through: Direct support and advocacy for a comprehensive HIV/AIDS response for KPs and local population