A panel discussion by UNODC, UNAIDS, IDLO at MENAHRA conference
Read the background to the session here: Police leadership and HIV MENA
To be truly effective, law enforcement and health sectors should work in partnership to develop and support legislation, policy and practice that facilitate the common goals of HIV prevention through enhancing community safety and crime reduction.
Objectives of the session:
1. Highlight the potential and actual role of police as partners in the HIV and harm reduction response in the MENA region.
2. Demonstrate the importance and benefits of working with the police for building effective HIV responses on the ground, including strategic partnerships between the police and HIV programs
3. Increase understanding among HIV (and harm reduction) communities on how to
effectively engage with the police in the MENA region
Format of the session:
Moderated panel discussion, with 6 panelists representing police, civil society organizations, key affected populations and UN agencies
Moderator: 
o Ahmed Shehata, IDLO (pictured)
Panelists:
o Lt. Col. Abdallah Elewi, Deputy Director, Anti‐Narcotics Authority, Palestine
o Dr Abdelhakim Belamri, Representative of General Direction of National Security, Algeria
o Dr Nadya Mikdashi, Skoun NGO, Lebanon
o Representatives of people who inject drugs from Egypt (Freedom) and Morocco
(Hasnouna)
o Karine Shalaby, UNODC
Discussion topics:
1. What is the role of the police in the HIV response? How have the police been engaged in the region and globally in the response to HIV?
2. How can HIV and harm reduction programs best engage with police, what are good
examples of partnership building between HIV programs and the police?
3. What are the challenges in engaging with the police and how can we address them? What can we recommend in order to further build/strengthen police leadership in the HIV response in MENA?
Date and time of session:
Thursday 14 November 2013
12:45 to 2:30 pm
Venue:
Sanawbar Hall, Lobby level, Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace
Go to the MENAHRA website here.