Press release: MENAHRA and RANAA Regional Dialogue Focus Meeting

Beirut, December 10, 2015

The Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association (MENAHRA) and the Regional Arab/Network Against Aids (RANAA) conducted Regional Dialogue Focus Meeting to consult on the development of the MENAHRA/RANAA Global Fund Regional Concept Note.

The dialogue took place in Crown Plaza Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon, from 8 till 10 December 2015 in the attendance of national AIDS programs managers, representatives of United Nations organizations, civil society organizations, key populations (KPs), related parties and other experts in this field from the MENA region.

This dialogue aimed to discuss major challenges in the field of harm reduction and AIDS, to ensure that strategies and suggested plans in the proposal reflect the multi-stakeholder response, in addition to the participation of KPs and community social organizations in the joint regional project proposal.

Executive Director of MENAHRA Mr. Elie Aaraj stressed during the dialogue on how “We should not compromise on the human rights of people who use drugs, rather we should take advantage of this dialogue in order to contribute in amending the Arab and regional mentality of our society, and to create the right means to make a change .” Consequently, RANAA Executive Director Mrs. Golda Eid claimed that “we shall take advantage of the memorandum of understanding which was signed with the League of Arab States to work on advocacy in our region.”

This focus meeting also allowed participants to submit a summary on the priorities of the activities and programs in their countries, by assessing needs, developing ideas and initiatives to be included in the project proposal.