The regional management meeting of MENA RST provided UNAIDS country offices, the RST, and cosponsors country focal points an opportunity to develop their 2010-2011 work plans under the global Outcome Framework and finalize their six-month monitoring and evaluation action plans for quality UNGASS reporting. The meeting was followed by a three-day skills building sessions on gender, difficult conversation skills and Human Rights based approach for HIV programming.
USSA interactions with MENA staff was not only limited to the staff association session that took place in the afternoon of the third day, but USSA also had several one-to-one conversations with staff who wanted to reflect on particular concerns and enquire about certain information.
In its presentation, the staff association clearly and proactively articulated the key concerns of staff in MENA, presenting to staff, the upcoming RST Director, and senior HR management a list of persisting common concerns in 2009. These include the unresolved issues of short term contracts and the implications of retroactive signing of contracts; the understaffing in MENA compounded by the heavy workload; difficulties in implementing the work life balance policy and lack of time to explore training opportunities; as well lack of clear terms of reference and division of tasks and responsibilities.
USSA also referred to some HR-related problems, such as the insufficient training opportunities for staff, which HR management has already taken action to resolve.
In presenting achievements of the staff association in 2008, USSA urged staff to be more responsible and active in the implementation of policies they had earlier called for, including the work life balance and diversity policies and provide feedback and comments on strategies they had earlier requested and that were realized through the engagement of the staff association such as the communication strategy.
Dr Hind Khatib, new Director of MENA RST, emphasized commitment to work with the staff association, diffuse current anxieties related to the new management of RST and willingness to communicate on decisions transparently, timely and in consultation with staff.
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