ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality

What ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality does

ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC accredited non-governmental organization headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, that works to advance gender equality and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) across the MENA region. Founded in 2011 by Ghida Anani, who continues to lead the organization, ABAAD combines direct service delivery with capacity building, advocacy, and knowledge production. Its primary beneficiaries are women and girls affected by GBV, with secondary programming for men and boys, refugee and host community populations, and frontline humanitarian workers.

The organization's service portfolio includes the Emergency Safe Sheltering Programme, Al Dar Women and Girls Safe Shelter, a network of Women and Girls Safe Spaces offering multidisciplinary case management and psychosocial support, and the Men Centre, which provides free psychological and social support to men alongside 24/7 emergency hotlines. Beyond direct services, ABAAD produces an extensive bilingual (Arabic and English) library of training manuals and toolkits—including ATLAS (stress and anger management), Program Ra (adolescent and youth training on gender and masculinities), Gender Analysis Toolkit, Cultural Sensitivity Training Toolkit, and self-care manuals for frontline workers. It also convenes the MenEngage Lebanon Network, leads national advocacy campaigns such as #CallItRight on penal code reform, and contributes to regional research such as the UNFPA/ESCWA/WAVE shelters study. The underlying technology is modest: a content website, downloadable PDF publications, and CRM-style case management for social workers rather than a proprietary digital platform.

ABAAD operates as a grant-funded non-profit; all direct beneficiary services are provided free of charge, and revenue is generated through donor funding, institutional grants, and partnerships with UN agencies, bilateral donors, and humanitarian networks. In 2024, 24,837 beneficiaries accessed its Safe Spaces. Strategic partnerships with UNFPA-ROAS, ESCWA, WAVE, CHS Alliance, MenEngage Alliance, and the Lebanese Internal Security Forces anchor its positioning within the regional humanitarian and gender-equality ecosystem.

Name

ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality

Legal name

ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality

Website

https://abaadmena.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ABAAD is a UN ECOSOC accredited non-profit based in Beirut that delivers GBV response services, safe shelters, and capacity-building toolkits for women, girls, men, and frontline workers across the MENA region, funded by institutional donors and UN agency grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gender Equality and GBV Response Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Gender equality services
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Women protection services
• Psychosocial support
• Masculinities programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Grants: As a non-profit organization, ABAAD operates primarily through donor funding, grants, and partnerships with international organizations and UN agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ABAAD is a UN ECOSOC accredited non-profit organization that provides direct services to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in Lebanon and the MENA region, including emergency safe shelters, women and girls safe spaces, and a dedicated Men Centre for engaging men and boys. The organization also produces capacity-building toolkits, advocacy campaigns, and research publications on GBV, gender equality, and masculinities, all delivered free of charge to beneficiaries.

Product overview

ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC accredited NGO that operates as a resource center offering direct services, publications, and advocacy programs rather than a technology product. Its core offerings include: Emergency Safe Sheltering Programme and Al Dar Women and Girls Safe Shelter providing immediate accommodation and holistic care for GBV survivors; Women and Girls Safe Spaces offering multidisciplinary case management and psychosocial support; and the Men Centre providing free psychological and social support services for men. ABAAD produces capacity-building toolkits including the ATLAS Stress and Anger Management Toolkit, Program Ra for adolescent/youth training, Self-Care Manual for Front-Line Workers, Cultural Sensitivity Training Toolkit, and Gender Analysis Toolkit. The organization runs advocacy campaigns such as #CallItRight, manages the MenEngage Lebanon Network, and conducts research on GBV, masculinities, and shelter accessibility in the Arab region. These products and services work together to provide a comprehensive ecosystem for gender equality work in the MENA region, combining direct service delivery with capacity development, advocacy, and knowledge production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Safe Sheltering Programme Emergency shelter services providing immediate safe accommodation and support for survivors of gender-based violence.
• Women and Girls Safe Spaces (Model Center for Multidisciplinary Holistic Care to Combat GBV) Safe spaces offering comprehensive, multidisciplinary services including case management, psychosocial support, and GBV response for women and girls.
• Men Centre Specialized center providing free and confidential psychological and social support, counseling, and workshops for men to promote positive masculinity and engagement in ending GBV.
• Al Dar Women and Girls Safe Shelter Emergency and long-term safe shelter facility for women and girls survivors of violence, providing comprehensive support services.
• ATLAS: Stress and Anger Management Toolkit Interactive manual designed to support men and boys in managing stress and anger during crises, promoting emotional well-being, healthy coping strategies, and positive communication.
• Program Ra Interactive manual for training adolescents and youth on gender and masculinities, designed for organizations working on gender equality and youth engagement.
• How to Organize Six Support Group Sessions Guidance for organizing support group sessions for women and adolescent girls at risk or survivors of GBV using a survivor-centered approach.
• SELF-CARE MANUAL for Front-Line Workers Evidence-based self-care manual for front-line workers in child protection and GBV sectors, addressing stress management and psychological resilience.
• Selfcare Toolkit for Frontliners Practical resources to help front-line workers and volunteers manage stress, recognize burnout signs, and enhance psychological resilience while supporting crisis-affected communities.
• Cultural Sensitivity Training Toolkit Four-day interactive training program covering cultural sensitivity concepts, cultural readiness, and cross-cultural work challenges, developed under the Civic Courage Enhancement Project.
• Gender Analysis Toolkit Step-by-step guidance for conducting intersectional gender analyses examining power dynamics and intersecting layers of discrimination, designed for program staff and technicians.
• Remote GBV Case Management During Emergencies Manual addressing the management of gender-based violence cases remotely and providing social counseling during emergency situations.
• PSEA Resources (Protection from Sexual Exploitation & Abuse) Resources and programming focused on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, promoting zero tolerance to SEA.
• MenEngage Lebanon Network Network part of the Global MenEngage Alliance engaging men and boys in promoting peace, equality, and social change, collaborating with women and decision-makers to design gender equality policies.
• Shelters for Women Survivors of Violence Study ESCWA/UNFPA study on the importance, availability, and accessibility of shelters in the Arab region, examining the relationship between national legal frameworks and daily shelter operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24,837 beneficiaries accessed services in 2024 through Safe Spaces

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• United Nations ECOSOCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAAD is a UN ECOSOC accredited organization, enabling participation in UN processes and collaboration with various UN agencies on gender equality and GBV programming in the MENA region.
• CHS AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAAD's Founder and Director, Ghida Anani, was elected to the CHS Alliance Board, contributing to shaping the humanitarian sector's approach to affected communities with focus on women and girls.
• MenEngage AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAAD hosts the MenEngage Lebanon Network, part of the global MenEngage Alliance, aiming to advance gender justice and social equality by engaging men and boys in promoting peace and gender equality.
• UNFPA Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the regional study 'Shelters for Women Survivors of Violence: Availability and Accessibility in the Arab Region' examining the importance, availability, and accessibility of shelters.
• ESCWA (UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESCWA partnered with ABAAD, UNFPA-ROAS, and WAVE on the study examining shelters for women survivors of violence in the Arab region.
• Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAVE partnered with ABAAD, ESCWA, and UNFPA-ROAS on the regional study of shelters for women survivors of violence in the Arab region.
• Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAAD and EHRDC conducted a training on militarism and masculinities for Ethiopian civil society organizations focused on human rights and peacebuilding, sharing ABAAD's expertise regionally.
• Internal Security Forces (Lebanon)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GBV and cybersecurity awareness video campaign, with ISF and ABAAD jointly communicating that support is available for GBV survivors and hotlines are operational.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Plan International: International NGO with a strong focus on girls' rights and the prevention of gender-based violence, operating safe spaces and adolescent programming in MENA crisis settings.
• UN Women: The United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, operating globally including the Arab States region — a broad incumbent with overlapping mission and overlapping donor pool.
• Oxfam: Global confederation running gender justice and women's leadership programs across MENA, often partnering with local women's-rights organizations like ABAAD on GBV response.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Large humanitarian NGO running a global Women's Protection and Empowerment program that delivers GBV case management, safe spaces, and women's centers in crisis-affected countries including MENA.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian NGO with a global gender equality framework and GBV programming across the MENA region, sharing the same institutional donor base as ABAAD.
• International Medical Corps: Humanitarian organization operating GBV case management, psychosocial support, and safe spaces in MENA — a structural peer for emergency GBV response services.

Direct peers

• International Alert: Peacebuilding NGO with explicit work on gender, masculinities, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including partnering with ABAAD-style organizations in the MENA peacebuilding ecosystem.
• Women for Women International: INGO providing survivor-centered economic and psychosocial support to women survivors of war and GBV in MENA conflict-affected countries — directly comparable mission, beneficiary model, and training toolkit focus.
• KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation: Lebanese non-profit specializing in combating gender-based violence and the exploitation of women and children through legal aid, shelters, and counseling — the closest country-level peer to ABAAD's shelter and case-management model.

Emerging players

• Promundo: Global organization pioneering engagement of men and boys in gender equality, including co-leadership of the MenEngage Alliance alongside ABAAD's Lebanon network — the most direct functional peer in the masculinities niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/abaadmena
• Facebookfacebook.com/abaadmena

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ABAAD - Resource Centre for Gender Equality