Association Najdeh
Encyclopedia
Association Najdeh (جمعية النجدة الاجتماعية in Arabic, Arabic najdeh="relief" or "aid") is an NGO involved with development
and educational projects in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon
. It operates more exactly in and around the refugee camps. It defends the Palestinian refugee
women who are often victims of discrimination
s and also participates in different campaigns, in coalitions of local and international organizations, for the right to work in Lebanon and the right of return to Palestine
.
women in particular after the movement of Palestinian family to the camp of Tel-Za'atar. An initial work of embroidery was organized and generated an income, then a day-care center and a workplace for the women was created. Finally, in 1978, the Najdeh association was registered to the Ministry of the Interior as the independent Lebanese social and non-governmental organization (NGO) with headquarters in Beirut
. Between 2005 in 2006, the association Najdeh elaborated a Code of conduct, intended to strengthen the role of the civil society
institutions. It opposes to the proposition in 2006, of an Islamic constitution in Burj el-Barajneh camp, by institutions with Islamic trend. It has been recently mobilized during the conflict in Nahr el-Bared camps of May, 2007 to bring relief and assistance to residents of the camp. The association Najdeh organized demonstrations
in all the regions of the Lebanon, on April 30, 2009, for "for the right to work campaign of the Palestinian refugees in the Lebanon", in particular with Palestinian-Lebanese coalition's commissions, after having published a report on the contribution of the Palestinian refugees to the Lebanese economy, in January, 2009, thanks to funding from aid agencies (Diakonia and Christian Aid).
community. The improvement of the role of the women in the Palestinian community also concerns their economic, social and educational role.
The General assembly is 70 % of women and 30 % of men. The administrative board has progressed over the last few years from only female members to a fifty-fifty female/male division (6 members). The staff is primarily women and members of the Palestinian refugee
community. Eighty percent of the beneficiaries are women and Palestinians, while the remaining 20% are men and individuals of other nationalities.
The association Najdeh operates on 26 centers in and around refugee camps. Its programs focus directly on the women and include: vocational training Program, Popular Education and Tutorial Program, Mother and Child Program, Social Affairs, Domestic Violence
Program, microcredit
Project, and Embroidery.
It also defends the rights of the Palestinians by activities of raising awareness on subjects such as the health of the reproduction, the rights of the woman and the rights of the child. The programs of the association would touch up to 10 000 refugees, in all palestinian refugee camps, including camps Burj el-Barajneh, Nahr el-Bared, Shatila, Beddawi
, etc.
, a belief in the importance of human rights
, of social justice
and of gender equality
. As a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International
(HAP International) since August 2009, she believes in the values of PAHs based on transparency and accountability.
, and from some partners present in United States
and Canada
. The other sources of income are: incomes from the production of embroidery, fees for students in professional training program and those for program of women and children.
Community development
Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....
and educational projects in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. It operates more exactly in and around the refugee camps. It defends the Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
women who are often victims of discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
s and also participates in different campaigns, in coalitions of local and international organizations, for the right to work in Lebanon and the right of return to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
History
The association Najdeh was founded in 1976 by a group of independent Lebanese women and men to secure immediate income to Palestinian refugeePalestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
women in particular after the movement of Palestinian family to the camp of Tel-Za'atar. An initial work of embroidery was organized and generated an income, then a day-care center and a workplace for the women was created. Finally, in 1978, the Najdeh association was registered to the Ministry of the Interior as the independent Lebanese social and non-governmental organization (NGO) with headquarters in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. Between 2005 in 2006, the association Najdeh elaborated a Code of conduct, intended to strengthen the role of the civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
institutions. It opposes to the proposition in 2006, of an Islamic constitution in Burj el-Barajneh camp, by institutions with Islamic trend. It has been recently mobilized during the conflict in Nahr el-Bared camps of May, 2007 to bring relief and assistance to residents of the camp. The association Najdeh organized demonstrations
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
in all the regions of the Lebanon, on April 30, 2009, for "for the right to work campaign of the Palestinian refugees in the Lebanon", in particular with Palestinian-Lebanese coalition's commissions, after having published a report on the contribution of the Palestinian refugees to the Lebanese economy, in January, 2009, thanks to funding from aid agencies (Diakonia and Christian Aid).
Objectives
The main purpose of the association Najdeh is to empower women in the Palestinian community because they are a most severely disadvantage component of the Palestinian refugeePalestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
community. The improvement of the role of the women in the Palestinian community also concerns their economic, social and educational role.
Profile
The association Najdeh organs consists of: a General assembly, an Administrative Bureau elected by this Assembly, members of the Executive Board assigned by this Administrative Bureau.The General assembly is 70 % of women and 30 % of men. The administrative board has progressed over the last few years from only female members to a fifty-fifty female/male division (6 members). The staff is primarily women and members of the Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
community. Eighty percent of the beneficiaries are women and Palestinians, while the remaining 20% are men and individuals of other nationalities.
The association Najdeh operates on 26 centers in and around refugee camps. Its programs focus directly on the women and include: vocational training Program, Popular Education and Tutorial Program, Mother and Child Program, Social Affairs, Domestic Violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
Program, microcredit
Microcredit
Microcredit is the extension of very small loans to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit...
Project, and Embroidery.
It also defends the rights of the Palestinians by activities of raising awareness on subjects such as the health of the reproduction, the rights of the woman and the rights of the child. The programs of the association would touch up to 10 000 refugees, in all palestinian refugee camps, including camps Burj el-Barajneh, Nahr el-Bared, Shatila, Beddawi
Beddawi
Beddawi is a small city situated at the Mediterranean sea about 5 km north of Tripoli, Lebanon. It has about 30,000 inhabitants. There are 4 primary schools and one secondary school and one soccer team....
, etc.
Core Values
The association Najdeh has personal core values that it intend to promote: a community committed to the Palestinian nationNation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, a belief in the importance of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, of social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and of gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
. As a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International is the humanitarian sector's first international self-regulatory body, working towards the promotion of "Humanitarian Accountability"...
(HAP International) since August 2009, she believes in the values of PAHs based on transparency and accountability.
Funding
The association Najdeh has several sources of funding. The donations are a big part, their origins are multiple: mainly funds from donor organizations and individuals from EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and from some partners present in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The other sources of income are: incomes from the production of embroidery, fees for students in professional training program and those for program of women and children.
Internal Links
- Humanitarian Accountability Partnership InternationalHumanitarian Accountability Partnership InternationalHumanitarian Accountability Partnership International is the humanitarian sector's first international self-regulatory body, working towards the promotion of "Humanitarian Accountability"...
- List of human rights organisations