The Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association (MENAHRA) is dedicated to improving the lives of people who use drugs through advocacy, capacity building, and technical assistance.
The organization’s goal of advocating for the implementation of harm reduction strategies, which have been proven to be effective in preventing the spread of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C among people who inject drugs (PWID), is made possible through its partnership with religious leaders, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
In 2014, MENAHRA published the “Religious Leaders Manual on Harm Reduction,” a comprehensive guide in Arabic Language1 that covers the scientific facts about substance abuse, HIV, stigma and discrimination, and harm reduction, and the Global Fund has been instrumental in supporting these efforts. The manual also includes information on communication and advocacy skills, as well as the role that religious leaders can play in promoting harm reduction.
As part of its three-year plan (2019-2021), MENAHRA has continued to work with religious leaders to educate them about harm reduction and to support their advocacy efforts. The following activities have taken place:
• In 2019, MENAHRA organized a religious leaders’ conference to review and update the 2014 guide and brainstorm the structure of a training module.
• In 2020, Part 4 of the 2014 publication’s guide was developed, and thereafter MENAHRA organized an online training of trainers (TOT).
• In 2021, the trained religious leaders began educating other religious figures and local communities about harm reduction in their region.
• In 2022, a favorable shift in attitude regarding the Harm Reduction approach, programs, and religious leaders’ dedication to the cause was observed during the advocacy training for religious leaders.
In 2022, MENAHRA conducted a three-day advocacy training program for religious leaders in Beirut. The training was participant-centered, allowing participants to share their experiences, build advocacy interventions, and simulate their roles as advocates.
While MENAHRA has no current activities with religious leaders in 2023, the organization remains committed to its mission of improving the lives of people who use drugs through advocacy, capacity building, and technical assistance in the Middle East and North African region.
