The Regional Network of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS in the MENA region (RANAA) and the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS Regional Support Team for MENA (UNAIDS RST MENA) organized the Regional Meeting on “Empowerment of People Living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa towards Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support”, in collaboration with the HIV/AIDS Regional Programme in the Arab States of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP/HARPAS) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The meeting took place in le Crillon hotel Broumana, Lebanon, on November 7to 11, 2010.
This meeting was part of an ongoing series of regional meetings and it aims to provide a forum for further empowerment and capacity development for PLHIV in the region towards Universal Access to treatment, Care and Support for HIV in MENA and to discuss innovative ideas that can pragmatically change their situation in the region.
The main objectives of the meeting have been developed based on the suggestions made by the majority of PLHIV from the region as follows:
1. Empowerment of PLHIV in issues such as positive prevention, treatment, psychosocial support, legal issues and stigma and discrimination;
2. Strengthening PLHIV’s leadership and advocacy to build partnerships at the national and regional levels;
3. Stimulate networking through experience-sharing and exchanges, with a focus on positive country experiences and building on lessons learnt
4. Discuss means for following-up on ongoing and new projects initiated by PLHIV to mature into full scale sustainable programmes, with operational plans and concrete deliverables
During this meeting, it was agreed that the empowerment of PLHIV is a long process and starts by changing the PLHIV perception to themselves to be able after to change the society’s perception and then reduce Stigma and Discrimination.
The specificity of this meeting resides in joining, at the same time, PLHIV and activists from MENA and the different stakeholders (UNAIDS, USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, the International HIV/AIDS ALLIANCE, RANAA, etc) which reflects the discussion richness and the opportunity to take efficient decisions.
In order to improve the visibility of the meeting, RANAA Secretariat, in cooperation with UAIDS RST MENA, organized advocacy activities, prior to and during the meeting:
1 Participation in Beirut Marathon, November 7, 2010.
2 Press Conference, November 8, 2010.
3 Art workshop, November 10-11, 2010.
4 Media coverage
1 Participation in Beirut Marathon, November 7, 2010
Beirut Marathon is a major annual civil society event that gathers around 40.000 participants. This year, the slogan of the Beirut Marathon was: “I THOUGHT I COULDN’T…I CAN”. RANAA and UNAIDS presence was ensured through the participation of 20 PLHIV and activists in the 10 KM “Run for Fun” marathon and through the rental of a booth in the “Heritage Village”, in collaboration with SIDC association. Promotional material and branded T-shirts were produced for the event.
2 Press Conference, November 8, 2010
In order to launch the PLHIV meeting 2010, RANAA and UNAIDS organized a Press Conference in Crowne Plaza Hotel on November 8, 2010. The Conference was held under the High Patronage of H.E. The Minister of Public Health in Lebanon, Dr. Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh, who was represented by the Director General Dr. Walid Ammar. The panel was composed of: Dr. Ammar, representing the Lebanese Minister of Public Health, Mrs. Hind El Khatib Othman, Regional Director of UNAIDS RST MENA, Mr. Amr Waked, UNAIDS Regional Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Elie Aaraj, President of RANAA, Mr. Amirreza Moradi from Iran and Ms. Zohira Merrah from Algeria representatives of the participants.
3 Art workshop, November 10-11, 2010.
A drawing workshop was organized for two consecutive days parallel to the meeting in collaboration with “Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts” (ALBA) - University of Balamand. Interested participants were assisted by volunteers from ALBA to produce paintings and drawings on the HIV/AIDS themes.
4 Media coverage
Media coverage for all above mentioned activities was ensured through interviews on local channels (Tele Liban with Mr. Elie Aaraj and MTV and Future TV interviews with Mr. Amr Waked) in addition to local and regional newspapers.
A new initiative “Combating AIDS in GCC countries” was hosted by the Minister of Health of Saudi Arabia, Dr Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Rabeeah and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on 16 April in Riyadh.
