Call for Talents: Transform the Fight against HIV with ADP-MENA (Activists Development Program in MENA Region)

Context: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continues to face major public health challenges related to HIV/AIDS. Key populations, including young people, men who have sex with men, sex workers, and injecting drug users, face significant barriers to accessing prevention and treatment services. These obstacles are exacerbated by stigma, discrimination, and a lack of effective surveillance systems.

The ADP (Activists Development Program), supported by Love Alliance and GNP+, aims to strengthen the capacities of young activists to become leaders in the fight against HIV in the MENA region. This year, the workshop will focus on priority themes tailored to current needs, including HIV treatment education, advocacy, leadership, harm reduction, domestic resource mobilization (DRM), and project writing. The goal is to strengthen the resilience of young people against HIV and promote a sustainable community response.

Program Objective:

The ADP 2025 training program offers a unique opportunity for young activists in the MENA region to: Strengthen their knowledge of HIV/AIDS, including modes of transmission, available treatments, and prevention strategies. Develop leadership and advocacy skills to become key players in the fight against HIV in their communities. Raise awareness of harm reduction issues and the importance of domestic resource mobilization (DRM) to support community programs. Acquire practical skills in project writing and responding to calls for proposals (Proposals) to enhance the sustainability of local initiatives.

Profile of Desired Candidates:

The ADP-MENA 2025 program targets young activists aged 18 to 30 from countries in the MENA region. Candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be aged 18 to 30 and have a strong interest in the fight against HIV and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health.
• Have a good command of Arabic, French, or English.
• Meet at least two of the following qualification criteria:
• One or two years of experience in HIV activism or social justice within a national network or community organization (e.g., a national network of PLHIV).
• Completed degree in a field related to health or behavioral sciences (e.g., public health, medicine, pharmacy, psychology, sociology).
• Participation in a national, regional, or international conference on HIV (e.g., IAS, ICASA). Proof must be provided at the time of application.
• Recommendation by an ITPC-MENA partner, MENA Community, MENANPUD, a regional network coordinator, or a national/regional partner (e.g., MENAHRA, SIBA, RANAA, etc.).

Workshop Themes:

• HIV Treatment Education: Understanding the basics of HIV/AIDS, available treatments, and prevention strategies.
• Advocacy and Leadership: Developing skills to conduct awareness campaigns and influence decision-makers.
• Harm Reduction: Raising awareness of harm reduction practices for key populations.
• Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM): Learning to identify and mobilize resources to support community initiatives.
• Project Writing and Proposal Response: Acquiring practical skills to write projects and respond to calls for proposals.

Selection Process:

Submission of applications:

Candidates must send an email to the following address: zayd.marrakchi@itpcmena.org, copying zakaria.bahtout@itpcmena.org and communication@mena-community.org, with the following information:

1. Full name. Age.
2. City and country of residence.
3. Phone number. Experience in leadership and community engagement.
4. A CV AND a cover letter explaining why they wish to participate in this training program.
5. Applications will be reviewed based on the relevance of leadership and community engagement experience, motivation, and commitment to the fight against HIV.

Application Deadline: March 25, 2025

Planned Date of the ADP Workshop: May 5-8, 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco

We hope to receive your application and look forward to working with you to strengthen your leadership and commitment in the fight against HIV.