WHO ARE WE

OUR STORY

Tel-al-Zaatar

Association Najdeh (hereafter known as AN) was founded in 1976 by a group of independent Lebanese women to secure job placements for Palestinian women refugees who were displaced from Tel-al-Zaatar camp and became the main breadwinners of their families. Thus, AN distributed embroidery work to women and paid them for their work according to the intricacy of the stitching of each item.

By assisting in securing a basic monthly income, or improving the monthly income of their families, women – who are the most disadvantaged element of Palestinian refugee community, became productive, self-reliant, and contributed to the development of the overall Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon.

WHO ARE WE

Association Najdeh is a secular, feminist, democratic organisation that was founded at the beginning of civil war in 1976, and registered in 1978 with the Lebanese Ministry of Municipalities and Interior as an independent non-governmental association (apprised and notified as 0169 /AD).

Association Najdeh works mainly with Palestinian women and girls refugees, as well as the wider marginalised social strata of the Palestinian community in Lebanon. It also aids other disadvantaged communities who live in the camps and likewise social gatherings.

Our beliefs at Association Najdeh are based on our six core values that form the basis and direction of our work principles. Guided by human rights, especially the rights of women and children as universal, inalienable or indivisible rights, we seek within the Association to achieve equality by promoting participatory, non-discriminatory action in a secular, democratic environment that respects the personal beliefs and rights of individuals, allows all segments of Palestinian society to participate in achieving sustainable development, and with the participation of all major leaders including local communities.

WE BELIEVE IN

We envision a Palestinian society that enjoys full and equal access to all national human rights, and to where social justice and true equality between women and men prevails.

APPROACHES WE FOLLOW

Najdeh seeks to combat violence and discrimination, notably among women and girl Palestinian refugees, through key approaches and working methods that are mainstreamed across our programs. Such approaches include:

. Gender Equality
. Advocacy work, whether locally, nationally, regionally, or internationally
. Rights-based approaches
. Capacity building and institutional development
. Protection and networking

WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIVE

Najdeh strives to combat the negative repercussions of a patriarchal society. It considers that civil activism for a more modern, secular, democratic society is the essential key to real democracy, social justice, and equality among the vulnerable, especially among men and women.

Najdeh advocates for gender equality that entails equal rights for women and men, girls and boys, as well as the same visibility, empowerment, responsibility and participation in all spheres of public and private life, providing equal distribution of resources, and equal access to opportunities for both women and men.

WHERE AND WITH WHOM WE WORK

Association Najdeh operates 29 centres across the five main regions of Lebanon: Beirut, Tripoli, Saida, Tyre, and Bekaa. The centers are located in and around Palestinian refugee camps and gatherings, ensuring that they are easily accessible to the target groups; Palestinian refugee girls and women, and through them to all marginalised social strata.

Although Najdeh is a feminist organisation, it acknowledges that the real change need to target and mobilise all community members, including boys and men.

OBJECTIVES OUR STRATEGIC

Najdeh strives for women and girls’ human and social rights, to achieve equality on all levels through holistic approaches that focus on enlisting fundamental changes in discriminatory concepts and practices. By using a holistic and integrative approach between its various programs and services, the Najdeh seeks to achieve the following:

  1. Promoting the empowerment of women and girls to reach social and economic self-sufficiency
  2. Promoting cultural, educational, social and psychological well-being for the most marginalised social groups in Palestinian society in Lebanon
  3. Combating discrimination and violence against girls and women within the Palestinian community in Lebanon and within its broader framework.

COORDINATION AND NETWORKING

Association Najdeh contributes to establish local, national, regional and international women’s non-governmental networks and forums. In addition, the “Right to Return” is core element in networking.

THANK YOU