On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Lebanon LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Lebanon country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Lebanon COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Lebanon.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Lebanon is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, over a million Syrian refugees fled to neighboring Lebanon, making Lebanon the largest refugee-hosting nation per capita in the world, with the Government estimation of 1.5 million Syrian refugees and some 13,715 refugees of other nationalities. The country has neither ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees nor the 1967 Additional Protocol—just like most countries in the Middle East, and does not have a legal framework for refugees, which means that Lebanese law does not differentiate between illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. For asylum seekers with nationalities other than Syrian, UNHCR continues to conduct refugee status determination (RSD) in order to identify international protection needs and durable solutions.
Despite these sparse legal protections, Lebanon is obligated to respect the international customary legal principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits any country from deporting any person to a country where they face the threat of persecution. Non-governmental organizations and civil society advocates are active on the ground through monitoring and advocacy to ensure the Lebanese authorities do not forcibly deport refugees.
Lebanon has only one domestic law pertaining to asylum which is contained in Article 26 of the 1962 Law on Foreigners, often used as the main legal instrument to obstruct the rights of foreigners in the country. Adding to these challenges is the informal relationship between the government and UNHCR, which allows Lebanon to make unilateral changes affecting refugees. Only a fraction of refugees have been able to obtain temporary residencies, while the majority live under constant risk of being caught without papers.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Contact person: George Ghali
Email: George.ghali@alefliban.org
ALEF seeks to strengthen the respect and fulfilment of human rights as a cornerstone of social, economic, and political development. By embracing a comprehensive approach to monitoring, defending, and educating on human rights, ALEF aims to complement and gear all efforts towards achieving an influential human rights constituency and realising a durable peace.
Website
Contact person: Salma Sakr
Email: Salma@armlebanon.org
ARM’s mission is to decrease racist discrimination and abuse in Lebanon on the social and institutional levels by advocating for changes in the systems that perpetuate racist exploitative practices, through sensitization, awareness raising, advocacy, and community building for more just social and institutional frameworks in Lebanon.
Basmeh & Zeitooneh was launched in September 2012 with field visits to areas with high concentrations of the most marginalized and desperate Syrian refugees. The main goal of these visits was to assess needs and find gaps left by other aid agencies. As a result of those preliminary assessments, Basmeh & Zeitooneh chose to concentrate their efforts in the most poorly served areas, including Arsal, the Bekaa Valley, Tripoli and the Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut. Basmeh & Zeitooneh’s volunteers make frequent field visits and foster a relationship of trust with their beneficiaries.
Website
Address: Immeuble Bakhos, 1er étage,Rue Mar Youssef, Dora, Beirut Liban
Tel/Fax: +961 01 24 00 23
Email: info@cldh-lebanon.org
Contact Person: Marie Daunay
Email: mdaunay@cldh-lebanon.org
The Centre Libanais des Droits Humains (CLDH) is a non-profit, non-political NGO that defends Human Rights in Lebanon. Amongst others, it fights against arbitrary detention and works for the rehabilitation of victims of torture. CLDH has opened the Centre Nassim for the rehabilitation of victims of Torture. For the Centre Nassim call : +961 (0)1 24 00 61. The Centre Libanais des Droits Humains (CLDH) is a member of the Euromed Human Rights Network’s Migration and Asylum Working group.
Facebook
Address: Badaro Street, Fawaz Bldg, 7th Floor, P.O. BOX 13-6299, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel/Fax: +961 (0)1 38 95 56
Mobile: +961 34 57 324
Email: frontierscenter@frontiersruwad.org and legalaid@frontiersruwad.org
Contact Person: Samira Trad
FR was founded by a group of Lebanese human rights activists who had been active on refugee issues through the Ad-Hoc Committee in Support of Refugees and Asylum-seekers (ACSRA) (1999-2002) and for one year with a civil company called Frontiers Center (2003). Building on is history, FR’s mandate is to defend and advocate on behalf of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons. At present, FR’s main activities in the refugee and statelessness arena include:
– Legal aid for refugees and stateless persons
– Legal counseling and representation of refugees, stateless, and other vulnerable migrant groups;
– Monitoring detention of refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons, particularly arbitrary detention, torture, and death in custody
– Legal and policy research and publication on pertinent refugee and statelessness issues in Lebanon;
– Internal and external training on refugee law and advocacy;
– Information dissemination and raising awareness;
– Empowerment of refugees;
– Networking at national and international level.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Legal Information Website – Legal information available in English, Spanish, Creole, Arabic, Pashto, Farsi (Dari).
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) provides free legal services to vulnerable displaced people seeking refugee status determination and relocation or resettlement. IRAP cannot grant refugee status or visas or speed up cases. IRAP cannot provide financial help, find or pay for housing, or find jobs. They do not make any decisions concerning resettlement and they are completely independent of UNHCR and national governments. Any information sent to IRAP is highly confidential, and all services are free of charge.
IRAP can help some people in processes like:
- Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa applications. IRAP helps with some kinds of Chief of Mission appeals.
- Family reunification for refugees with relatives in the United States and in some European countries. IRAP helps with some stages and some kinds of family reunification processes.
- UNHCR processes. IRAP represents some refugees in certain UNHCR processes in certain countries.
- U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) applications. IRAP helps with some kinds of Requests for Review (RFRs) of USRAP denials.
Anyone can request legal help through their chatbot on Facebook by clicking here or on Telegram by clicking here.
This webform is for Afghan SIV applicants who want to file or have received denials from the Chief of Mission (COM) and who do not currently have an application or appeal pending review at COM to request legal help.
IRAP Jordan accepts requests for assistance through this form. The form is only available when IRAP Jordan is accepting new requests for assistance. If the form is not available, please check back to that link regularly.
IRAP is not able to assist everyone who contacts them, and emailing them or getting in touch does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Website
Facebook
Address: Mar Elias Camp for Palestinian Refugees, P.O.Box: 114/5004 Beirut, Lebanon
Naher El Bared Camp, Main Street Sector E – Bldg E49, P.O.Box: 114/5004 Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: +961 (0)1 30 67 40
Fax: +961 (0)1 30 15 49
Email: Phro@palhumanrights.org
Contact Persons: Mr. Ghassan Abdallah – General Director
Email: ghassana@palhumanrights.org
Mr. Raji Abdel Salam, Programs Consultant
Email: rajia@palhumanrights.org
Wasim Jahid Ahmad
Email: wassima@palhumanrights.org
The Palestinian Human Rights Organization (PHRO) is an independent Human Rights NGO. The PHRO works to promote, protect and defend the rights of the Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon. The PHRO monitors and documents individual and group human rights violations cases in the Palestinian refugee camps, gatherings and prisons in Lebanon. Monitoring reports are available on the PHRO website in Arabic and English. The PHRO is a member of the Euromed Human Rights Network’s Migration and Asylum Working group.
Website
Address: Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock St.Jnah, UNHCR S&K building, BEIRUT, Lebanon
Tel: 961 1 849 201
Email: lebbe@unhcr.org
UNHCR Lebanon supports both Lebanese communities and refugees. UNHCR coordinates the protection response for all refugees in Lebanon with the Government, UN agencies, and local and international partners, including registration; protection/border monitoring and advocacy; legal aid; civil documentation; psychosocial support; child protection; prevention and response to gender-based violence; and resettlement to third countries.
Through the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan, UNHCR and partners respond to the ongoing impact of the Syria crisis on Lebanon, including ensuring protection and providing immediate assistance to people with specific needs, service provision through national systems, and reinforcing Lebanon’s economic, social and environmental stability.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Anera provides humanitarian assistance and sustainable development to advance the well-being of refugees and other vulnerable communities in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. They mobilize resources for immediate emergency relief and sustainable, long-term health, education, and economic development. Anera’s staff serve in their communities, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it’s needed most.
Website
Address: Jnah, Near Rafic Hariri General Hospital
Moubarak Building, 5th floor
Beirut
Tel: +961 1 841 701
Fax: +961 1 841 705
Email: iombeirut@iom.int
Despite a lack of up-to-date and reliable data, it is widely recognized that Lebanon is a major country of emigration. Accordingly, if effectively managed – particularly through active engagement of the sizeable Lebanese diaspora – migration has the potential to contribute positively to Lebanon’s development. To this end, IOM continues to work in partnership with the relevant government entities and civil society in Lebanon.
Lebanon is also host to sizeable displaced Palestinian and Iraqi communities. Amongst the Iraqi displaced, overall living conditions continue to deteriorate and initial resources are incrementally depleted; accordingly, a vast number remain in need of urgent assistance. IOM has commissioned valuable research in this field. In follow up, IOM has contributed to the humanitarian response through the provision of psychosocial assistance and development of livelihood support programmes. Lebanon is gradually recovering from the 2006 conflict as well as localized violence; IOM is supporting the government and civil society in reconstruction and community-stabilization initiatives.
Lebanon LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Lebanon.
Lebanon COI
Find Lebanon Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated January 2024