Resource center

Organisation website:
UNRISD was established in 1963 as an autonomous space within the UN system for the conduct of policy-relevant, cutting-edge research on social development that is pertinent to the work of the United Nations Secretariat; regional commissions and specialized agencies; and national institutions.
The UNRISD mission is to generate knowledge and articulate policy alternatives on contemporary development issues, thereby contributing to the broader goals of the UN system of reducing poverty and inequality, advancing well-being and rights, and creating more democratic and just societies.

Organisation website:
The Noor Al Hussein Foundation (NHF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded by Royal Decree in 1985.
Its mission is to facilitate lasting change in underprivileged communities by creating economic opportunities, building capacity for self-reliance and improving livelihoods through programs that promote:
- poverty alleviation and job creation
- access to microfinance
- participatory decision-making and advocacy
- income-generation enterprise establishment at the community level
- business development services
- sustainable community development
- women's empowerment
- family health care

Project webpage: Project summary in a portal covering the news of the project WEPASS, by NCLW (National Commission for Lebanese Women). The project aims to empower Lebanese women. Its activities address 'women empowerment' on the personal, social, political and economic levels.

Organisation website :
Tradeswomen, Inc., California's first organization for women in the trades, was founded in 1979 as a grass- roots support organization. We build community among the growing numbers of women in blue collar, skilled craft jobs.

Tradeswomen, Inc. has three goals:

Recruit more women into building and construction trades.
Promote retention of women in the trades
Develop tradeswomen's capacityfor leadership and career growth, on the job and in their unions

Organisation website:
The Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) is a regional network working in 10 Arab countries with seven national networks and 23 NGO members. ANND was initiated in 1997 and had its secretariat office in Beirut since 2000.

Organisation website:
Amel is a non-governmental organization, recognized as a public utility by presidential decree 5832 in 1994. Since 2001, Amel has had special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC).

In addition, Amel is a non-profit, non sectarian organization that supports the most underprivileged populations in Lebanon, through various programs involving health care, psychosocial support, rural development, vocational training, child protection and the promotion of human rights.
Amel's objectives are:

Promoting social, economic, civil and cultural rights for the underprivileged in Lebanon.
Contributing to building a strong and mobilized Civil Society in order to strengthen national unity and promote democratic values.
Advocating and lobbying for the principles of human rights in the aim of ensuring Social Justice.
Assisting and providing quality services for everyone (medical activities, rural development, trainings…)
Promoting equal rights and equal opportunities

Organisation website:
Association profile available in 2 languages. ( English, and Arabic). In brief: " Emkan is a Lebanese non-governmental organization (NGO) which provides microfinance services for the economically active poor in Lebanon. Emkan was registered as a local association with the Lebanese Ministry of Interior in February 2008 by the Hariri Group, and began its lending operations in July 2009. In addition to providing microfinance services, Emkan also engages in community development activities through the implementation of sustainable economic development projects and programs."

Organisation website:
The Center for Women's Business Research provides data-driven knowledge that advances the economic, social and political impact of women business owners and their enterprises. This data driven knowledge provides the business imperative for embracing women business owners as customers, suppliers, community leaders, public policy influencers and role models for business leadership.

Organisation website:
Association profile available in 3 languages ( English, Arabic and French); in brief "Association Najdeh was founded in 1976 by a group of independent Lebanese women and men to secure immediate income to Palestinian refugee women who became the main breadwinner of their families after being displaced from Tel-Za'atar camp. Najdeh's mission is to empower women and children, the most disadvantaged elements of the refugee community, with the tools necessary to a more-participatory role in their community economically, socially and educationally in order to contribute concretely to the development of the overall Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon. Najdeh provides a core program of social, psychological, educational, economic, and advocacy. "

Organisation website:
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organization's goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment