The Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association held the first Regional Expert Group (REG) meeting discussing the roles and the next steps of the “Law Enforcement and the HIV and Harm Reduction Response in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region” training on Tuesday 27 July 2021.

The role of the REG will include, but is not bound or limited to – provide strategic direction and leadership to ensure regional commitments are translated into measurable policy change and programmatic interventions in each setting, and to participate in regular meetings of the REG which may include teleconferences.

The Main activities of REG:

1. Maintain the created law enforcement efforts in the MENA region and capitalize on the outcomes of the second & third Law Enforcement consultative meetings and invest more in ensuring that more police members, law enforcement personal, judges, and prosecutors participate in future activities and from all the targeted countries.
2. Organize field visits to successful human rights and law enforcement initiatives to identify best practices and induce knowledge and experience sharing.
3. Support joint action plans between the police – CSOs and UN agencies.
4. Monitor global and regional trends on HIV-related stigma and discrimination in their relevant settings
5. Work on Advocacy, lobbying, and suggestion of amendment of laws and policies in the region.