Association Najdeh

Association Najdeh is a Lebanese social and non-governmental organization working primarily in and around Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Its central mission is to strengthen the social, educational, and economic position of Palestinian refugee women, whom it identifies as among the most disadvantaged members of the refugee community. The organization combines direct assistance with longer-term development, rights education, and community-based programming. Najdeh emerged in 1976, after the displacement of Palestinian families connected with the Tel al-Zaatar camp. Its earliest activity was an embroidery initiative designed to provide Palestinian refugee women with immediate income. The organization subsequently expanded this work by establishing a day-care center and a workplace for women. In 1978, it was registered with Lebanon’s Ministry of the Interior as an independent Lebanese social NGO headquartered in Beirut. The association’s work has developed into a network of centers located in and around Palestinian refugee camps. Reference material describes operations across 26 centers and programs reaching as many as 10,000 refugees in Palestinian camps including Burj el-Barajneh, Shatila, Nahr el-Bared, and Beddawi. Its activities have included vocational training, popular education and tutoring, mother-and-child services, social affairs support, domestic-violence programming, microcredit, and embroidery production. It also conducts awareness work on reproductive health, women’s rights, and children’s rights. Women remain the principal focus of both the organization’s governance and its services. The General Assembly has historically been majority female, while the administrative structure has developed toward more balanced participation by women and men. Staff members are primarily women and members of the Palestinian refugee community. The organization has reported that approximately 80 percent of beneficiaries are women and Palestinians, with the remainder consisting of men and people of other nationalities. Najdeh also participates in advocacy concerning the civil, economic, and social rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Its campaigns have included support for Palestinian refugees’ right to work in Lebanon and advocacy for the right of return to Palestine. In 2009, it helped organize demonstrations across Lebanon and contributed to a report on the economic contribution of Palestinian refugees. During the 2007 conflict in and around the Nahr el-Bared camp, it provided relief and assistance to affected residents. The organization’s stated principles include human rights, social justice, gender equality, community commitment, transparency, and accountability. Between 2005 and 2006, it developed a code of conduct intended to reinforce the role and standards of civil-society institutions. It also opposed a proposal in 2006 for an Islamic constitution in Burj el-Barajneh camp, reflecting its emphasis on civic and rights-based community work. In August 2009, it became a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International. Funding has included donations from organizations and individuals, especially European supporters and partners in the United States and Canada, together with income from embroidery production and fees associated with vocational, women’s, and children’s programs. Association Najdeh is therefore best understood not as a conventional commercial brand but as the public identity of a Lebanese NGO combining humanitarian relief, community development, women’s economic empowerment, and Palestinian refugee rights advocacy.

Association Najdeh was established in Lebanon in 1976 by independent Lebanese women and men in response to the displacement of Palestinian families associated with the Tel al-Zaatar camp. The founders sought to create immediate income opportunities for Palestinian refugee women, beginning with organized embroidery work. This early project combined livelihood support with a form of home- and community-based production that could be adapted to the circumstances of refugee families. The organization soon broadened its practical support. It created a day-care center and a workplace for women, allowing its activities to address both income generation and the care responsibilities that limited women’s participation in paid work. In 1978, Najdeh was formally registered with Lebanon’s Ministry of the Interior as an independent Lebanese social and non-governmental organization, with its headquarters in Beirut. Over time, the association developed a network of centers in and around Palestinian refugee camps. Its programming expanded from embroidery into vocational education, tutoring and popular education, mother-and-child services, social affairs, domestic-violence work, microcredit, and rights awareness. The organization’s model combined direct services with efforts to improve women’s longer-term economic, social, and educational roles within Palestinian communities. Reference material identifies approximately 26 centers and describes beneficiaries across Palestinian refugee camps including Burj el-Barajneh, Shatila, Nahr el-Bared, and Beddawi. Najdeh’s institutional development also involved governance and accountability. Its General Assembly was described as predominantly female, while its administrative board evolved from an exclusively female composition toward a roughly equal division between women and men. Staff were primarily women and members of the Palestinian refugee community. The association also formulated a code of conduct between 2005 and 2006 to strengthen the role and standards of civil-society institutions. In 2006, Najdeh opposed a proposal for an Islamic constitution in Burj el-Barajneh camp. This position reflected its broader emphasis on human rights, social justice, gender equality, and civic participation. In 2007, during the conflict affecting Nahr el-Bared camp, the organization provided relief and assistance to residents. Its role thus extended beyond development programming into emergency response. The association became increasingly active in campaigns concerning the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. It participated in advocacy for the right to work in Lebanon and the right of return to Palestine. In January 2009, it was associated with a report on the economic contribution of Palestinian refugees, produced with support from aid agencies including Diakonia and Christian Aid. On 30 April 2009, Najdeh helped organize demonstrations across Lebanon as part of a Palestinian-Lebanese coalition supporting the right-to-work campaign. In August 2009, Association Najdeh joined Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International, reinforcing its stated commitment to transparency and accountability. Its funding model has included donations from institutional and individual supporters, particularly in Europe and among partners in the United States and Canada, as well as revenue from embroidery and fees connected with vocational, women’s, and children’s programs. The organization’s continuing identity is rooted in community-based support for Palestinian refugees, with women’s empowerment at the center of its humanitarian, educational, economic, and advocacy work.

• 2009

  Right-to-work campaign

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  The association participates in demonstrations and coalition advocacy supporting Palestinian refugees’ right to work in Lebanon.

• 2009

  Humanitarian accountability affiliation

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  Najdeh joins Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International.

• 2007

  Nahr el-Bared emergency response

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  Najdeh provides relief and assistance to residents affected by conflict in the Nahr el-Bared camp area.

• 2006

  Opposition to proposed camp constitution

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  The association opposes a proposal for an Islamic constitution in Burj el-Barajneh camp.

• 2005

  Code-of-conduct process begins

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  Najdeh begins developing a code of conduct intended to strengthen civil-society institutional practice.

• 1978

  Formal Lebanese registration

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  The association is registered with Lebanon’s Ministry of the Interior as an independent Lebanese social NGO headquartered in Beirut.

• 1976

  Association founded

  [1]Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org

  Independent Lebanese women and men establish Najdeh to provide income opportunities for Palestinian refugee women after displacement connected with Tel al-Zaatar.

A community-based Lebanese NGO focused on Palestinian refugee women, combining humanitarian assistance, economic empowerment, education, social services, and rights advocacy.

• Income-generation program · 1976

  Embroidery production

  Embroidery was Association Najdeh’s initial livelihood activity and remains one of its identified sources of program income. The work was organized to provide Palestinian refugee women with immediate earning opportunities while preserving and developing a community-based productive skill. It represents the association’s combination of economic empowerment, women’s participation, and cultural continuity rather than a conventional retail product line.

• Education and skills development

  Vocational training

  The vocational training program supports practical skills and employability among women and other members of Palestinian refugee communities. It forms part of Najdeh’s longer-term development approach, complementing emergency assistance with education and income-generation opportunities. Available reference material does not specify the full set of courses, certification arrangements, or current enrollment.

• Education

  Popular education and tutoring

  Najdeh’s popular education and tutorial activities provide educational support in communities surrounding Palestinian refugee camps. The program is part of the association’s effort to improve educational opportunities for children and young people while strengthening community access to learning. Specific curricula, age groups, and current delivery methods are not identified in the available sources.

• Family and community services

  Mother-and-child services

  Mother-and-child programming addresses the needs of women and children in Palestinian refugee communities. It developed alongside the association’s early day-care work and reflects Najdeh’s focus on reducing practical barriers to women’s participation in education, work, and community life. Public reference material does not provide a detailed service breakdown.

• Women’s protection and rights

  Domestic-violence program

  The domestic-violence program forms part of Najdeh’s women’s rights and social-support portfolio. It addresses gender-based vulnerability through services and awareness activities linked to the association’s wider commitments to gender equality, human rights, and social justice. The available sources do not specify the program’s current staffing, referral network, or case volume.

• Financial inclusion

  Microcredit project

  The microcredit project supports small-scale economic activity and livelihood development among people served by the association. It complements vocational training and embroidery by offering a financial mechanism for income generation. The available reference material does not state the size of the lending portfolio, eligibility rules, repayment terms, or current scale.

• 2009Right to Work Campaign for Palestinian Refugees

  Lebanon

  Association Najdeh participated with Palestinian-Lebanese coalition partners in advocacy for Palestinian refugees’ right to work in Lebanon. It helped organize demonstrations in several Lebanese regions and supported public discussion of the economic and legal position of Palestinian refugees.

  Outcome. The campaign increased public advocacy and coalition activity around Palestinian refugee employment rights; the available source does not document a definitive legislative outcome.

  Source
• 2009Economic contribution awareness and advocacy

  Lebanon

  Najdeh was associated with a report on the contribution of Palestinian refugees to the Lebanese economy, produced with support from aid agencies including Diakonia and Christian Aid. The work provided an evidence-based component to the wider right-to-work advocacy effort.

  Outcome. The report supplied material for public and coalition advocacy; no further documented outcome is available in the cited reference.

  Source

• 2007

  Emergency relief response in Nahr el-BaredOther

  Background

  Conflict in and around the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp created urgent humanitarian needs.

  Action taken

  Najdeh mobilized relief and assistance for camp residents.

  Aftermath

  The response extended the association’s work beyond development and rights programming into emergency humanitarian assistance.

  Source

• 2006

  Opposition to an Islamic constitution proposal in Burj el-BarajnehStrategy

  Background

  Institutions with an Islamic orientation proposed an Islamic constitution for the Burj el-Barajneh camp.

  Action taken

  Association Najdeh opposed the proposal, consistent with its stated emphasis on human rights, social justice, gender equality, and civic community participation.

  Aftermath

  The available source records the association’s opposition but does not establish the final status of the proposal.

  Source

1. 1Association Najdehen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Association Najdeh official websiteassociation-najdeh.org