News From the Region (Last Updated On: ) Eastern Mediterranean Prevention of Substance Abuse In June WFMHs Eastern Mediterranean Regional Council (EMRC) joined with the Arab Federation for NGOs for the Prevention of Substance Abuse to organize a regional conference on substance abuse. (The Arab Federation was founded in 1996 by an initiative of the WFMH Committee to Combat Substance Abuse and the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Council.) The conference, which is now an annual event, had as this years theme “Facing Reality…Denial…Corruption and Abuse.” It was held under the patronage of the Arab League and Egypts Minister of External Affairs, Minister of Youth and Minister of Social Welfare. Participants came from many Arab programs for the prevention of substance abuse, with representatives from Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Mental Health for Infants The EMRC has started a mental health program for infants in collaboration with Egypts Health Insurance Authority, together with the Giza Mental Health Association and the Egyptian Association for Rural Development. The program will provide mental health education for one thousand poor families, as part of a comprehensive plan for social development which includes funding small projects, providing primary health care, and empowering women through the assistance of 70 womens health educators. The project is a model program for the Social Development Fund and includes six NGOs which are working together for the first time.