Women throughout the Middle East and North Africa have a rich history of fighting for their rights. While women across the region have made significant strides towards gaining equal participation in society, women still lack employment opportunities, the rights of full political participation and equal rights within marriage.

In 2003, the Global Fund launched the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Initiative in order to increase our understanding of the regional women's rights movement, and to effectively expand our support of women's rights groups in the region. Through the MENA Initiative, the Global Fund has undertaken the following courses of action:

• Creation of a new grantmaking portfolio dedicated to the MENA region, including the hiring of a program officer and program associate.
  
• Outreach trip to the region by a delegation of Global Fund staff, board and donors.
• The expansion of the Global Fund advisory network in the region.
• A significant increase of grants to women's groups in the region.

The MENA Initiative has proved successful in increasing the Global Fund's awareness about the many complex issues confronting women in the region today. In collaboration with our advisory council, local experts and women's groups, the Global Fund works to determine priorities in the region.

The MENA Outreach trip has significantly increased the Global Fund's reach within this region. The MENA portfolio has seen a 150 percent increase in proposals. In 2006, the Global Fund renewed the MENA initiative so that we may continue to devote resources to new, and existing, relationships with women's groups in this region.