Who Are We?
The M-Coalition is the only regional advocacy network specifically devoted to the needs of LGBT in the MENA region. M-Coalition was established in January 2014, with the support of MPact Global and The Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality (AFE MENA) who has been the hosting body of the organization, in response to a shared concern that current HIV/AIDS strategies and responses in the region are not adequately responsive to Men who have sex with Men (MSM) and later expanded to include all aspects of health for MSM. In 2018, M-Coalition officially started working on health needs for Lesbian women and transgender populations. In 2019 M-Coalition merged with AFE MENA and the once 7-member steering committee of regionally recognized LGBT advocates and HIV/AIDS professionals became the program advisory council for M-Coalition.
The M-Coalition works through advocacy, information exchange, knowledge production, networking, and capacity building activities, sustained over time at the local and regional level. The M-Coalition also strives to involve members of the LGBT community and people living with HIV and other Key Populations at all levels of its strategy, policy development and implementation, and internal governing processes.
Our Mission
Our Mission Make every one of our target population healthy.
Our Vision
Achieve societies where gender and sexual health and rights, as well as mental and bodily integrity are promoted, recognized and respected.
Introducing M-Coalition Network
M-Coalition was established in 2014 as a network of experts on MSM and HIV health in the Middle East and North Africa. The network focused mainly on the steering committee representing different countries and identities within its constituencies. As M-Coalition expanded its scope to LGBTIQ Health and KP health, the steering committee also evolved.
However, the participatory network did not come to place until 2019, with the support of the Robert Carr Network Fund, M-Coalition put in a governance system that ensures the input of communities into governance, programming and financial oversight.
Today, M-Coalition Network is a network of organizations, national and regional, working to promote health rights and other rights for LGBTIQ and Key populations in MENA.
The partnership/membership for M-Coalition is a mutual agreement between organizations and M-Coalition to ensure collaboration, communication, support and networking.
Today partners from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, and Jordan are part of the network. The Network also allows partners to be represented in the General Assembly of MCO and have a decision making power in the strategy and implementation of programs for M-Coalition.
In June 2020, M-Coalition Network General Assembly had its elections and voted the new Technical Board as follows:
Ahlem Azzi (Algeria) Chair – Mohamad Aisani (Algeria) co-Chair – Krissou Jilali (Morocco) Programmatic Oversight – Tatyana Sleiman (Lebanon) Financial Oversight – Ihab Elwy (Egypt) Governance Oversight
The Network had its first meeting in July 2020, and is working closely with its network members to update the M-Coalition Strategy 2019-2024 and in 2021 will be working closely with its partners to establish a regional health strategy moving forward.
The current M-Coalition Network Partners are: