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.

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'Karama' is the Arabic word for dignity, as well as an initiative fueled by a coalition of partners as constituencies to build a movement to end violence against women in the Middle East and North Africa. Karama puts emphasis on women from the ground up, addressing violence as they define it, with solutions of their own design.

Launched in 2005 to provide a framework for coordination, cooperation, and linkage among people working to stop violence against women, Karama has initiated an unprecedented range of multi-sectoral collaboration and advocacy by women across the region at the national, regional, and international levels.

Karama's partners include organizations in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Palestine with experience in political advocacy, research, service provision, community outreach, and working with targeted groups.

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

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International Relief and Development (IRD) is one of the premier organizations implementing development services and programs across a broad spectrum of regions and technical activities. In brief : "Our mission is to reduce the suffering of the world's most vulnerable groups and to provide tools and resources needed to increase their self-sufficiency. We accomplish this mission by running targeted, cost-effective development programs that improve the lives of these vulnerable groups. We work in regions of the world that present social, political, and technical challenges, and particularly specialize in helping communities affected by conflict and war to recover and improve. We collaborate with a wide range of organizations to design and implement humanitarian relief and development aid programs."

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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.

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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.

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Lebanon affiliate of the international Young Women's Christian Association, provides social and educational development programs for women.

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. "