Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)

What Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) does

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) is an independent non-governmental organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, with 38 employees operating across four offices in Dora, Baouchriyeh, Baalbek, and Tripoli. The organization delivers human rights advocacy, pro-bono legal aid, torture survivor rehabilitation, and institutional capacity building, serving vulnerable populations including victims of torture, refugees, migrant domestic workers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and families of the forcibly disappeared. In 2024, CLDH supported 5,052 persons and reached more than 100 torture survivors through its specialized programs.

CLDH's core programmatic offerings include the Advocacy program (policy change and violation documentation since 1996), the Legal Aid program (pro-bono representation and in-prison consultations launched in 2009 with a team of more than 10 lawyers), the Nassim Rehabilitation Center (established 2007 as a wholly-owned subsidiary providing Istanbul Protocol-compliant social, psychological, medical, and legal interventions), and Bridge by CLDH (a capacity-building subsidiary providing training to State Security, bar associations, municipalities, and NGOs). Underlying operational technology consists of human rights documentation systems, legal aid case management, and trauma-informed rehabilitation methodologies, supplemented by a publication portfolio of weekly human rights briefs, policy briefs, research reports, and activity reports.

The organization's revenue model is grant-funded: CLDH does not charge beneficiaries for services and generates no commercial revenue. Funding flows from a diversified base of 16+ institutional donors including the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, AFD, Norwegian Refugee Council, Danida, Fondation de France, Global Affairs Canada, Open Society Foundations, 11.11.11, Oxfam, Sigrid Rausing Trust, Swiss Confederation, UNCERF, Norwegian Embassy, Ifa, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, UNDEF, and the US State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. CLDH also accepts individual donations through its website. The go-to-market is non-commercial: services reach beneficiaries via office-based delivery, prison field visits, partnerships with other NGOs, and institutional training contracts, with no pricing model or sales motion applied to end beneficiaries.

Name

Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)

Legal name

Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)

Website

https://cldh-lebanon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) is an independent Lebanese NGO founded in 1996 that delivers pro-bono legal aid, torture survivor rehabilitation, human rights advocacy, and institutional capacity building to vulnerable populations including refugees, migrants, and torture victims across four offices in Lebanon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Human rights advocacy
• Pro-bono legal aid
• Torture victim rehabilitation
• Refugee protection services
• Human rights training

Headquarters

HQ city

Dora

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor funding and grants: CLDH operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through grants and donations from international development agencies, governments, foundations, and the European Union. Revenue comes from institutional donors rather than service fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CLDH is a Lebanese non-profit human rights organization founded in 1996 that delivers four interconnected programs: human rights advocacy and policy change, pro-bono legal aid for vulnerable populations, holistic rehabilitation services for torture victims at the Nassim Rehabilitation Center, and institutional capacity building through the Bridge by CLDH program. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and are funded by international donor grants.

Product overview

CLDH operates as a human rights NGO offering four interconnected programs: Advocacy (policy change and violation documentation), Legal Aid (pro-bono legal representation for vulnerable populations), Nassim Rehabilitation Center (holistic torture victim rehabilitation), and Bridge by CLDH (capacity building and training). The organization supplements its programs with publications including Weekly Human Rights Briefs, Policy Briefs, Research Reports, and Activity Reports that document violations and inform advocacy efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nassim Rehabilitation Center: Rehabilitation center providing holistic services for victims of torture and families of the forcibly disappeared since 2007
• Bridge by CLDH

Products and services

• Advocacy CLDH's advocacy program fights for policy change and denounces human rights violations in Lebanon, working to influence legislation, document violations, and hold authorities accountable since 1996.
• Legal Aid Pro-bono legal assistance including representation and consultations provided to poor and vulnerable communities such as refugees, migrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, victims of torture, and families of the forcibly disappeared, delivered through walk-in services and in-prison cases by a team of more than 10 lawyers.
• Nassim Rehabilitation Center Holistic rehabilitation services for victims of torture and families of the forcibly disappeared, providing social, psychological, medical, and legal interventions following the Istanbul Protocol.
• Bridge by CLDH Capacity building program providing training and expertise to institutions and individuals on human rights topics, including training for State Security, bar associations, municipalities, and civil society organizations on topics such as juveniles' law, prison conditions, refugees' legal situation, and torture identification.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5052 persons supported in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDH collaborates with NRC on civil documentation challenges for Syrian refugees. NRC is a key humanitarian partner.
• OxfammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDH collaborates with Oxfam on humanitarian and human rights advocacy in Lebanon.
• EuroMed RightsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDH collaborates with EuroMed Rights on regional human rights advocacy and joint statements.
• International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDH works with ICJ on joint webinars and legal capacity building.
• Tripoli Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDH has established a cooperation agreement with the Tripoli Bar Association for joint training and legal aid programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch — Middle East and North Africa Division: Global human rights organization with significant Lebanon and MENA documentation and advocacy work. Comparable to CLDH's advocacy and documentation programs, though operating at much larger scale and without CLDH's direct legal aid and rehabilitation service delivery.
• Amnesty International — Lebanon / MENA: Global human rights organization with Lebanon-focused research and campaigns. Comparable to CLDH on documentation, advocacy, and international accountability, though without direct service delivery for torture survivors or legal aid.

Direct peers

• Frontiers Ruwad Association: Lebanese human rights and anti-discrimination NGO providing legal aid, advocacy, and capacity building. Directly comparable to CLDH in terms of Lebanese focus, legal aid to vulnerable populations (migrant workers, refugees, LGBTQ+), and pro-bono services model.
• Lebanese NGO Forum: Coalition platform for Lebanese civil society organizations working on human rights and governance. Comparable to CLDH as a peer Lebanese civil society actor and partner organization coordinating advocacy across the NGO ecosystem.
• Anti-Racism Movement (ARM): Lebanese NGO focused on racism, discrimination, and migrant worker rights. Directly comparable to CLDH in target beneficiary populations (migrant domestic workers under kafala) and use of legal aid and advocacy in Lebanon.
• MENA Rights Group: International legal aid organization providing pro-bono representation to political prisoners and human rights defenders across the MENA region, with a Lebanon-focused caseload. Directly comparable on legal aid for vulnerable populations, advocacy, and international accountability mechanisms.
• EuroMed Rights (Euromed Network of Human Rights): Network of human rights NGOs across the Euro-Mediterranean region working on regional advocacy, joint statements, and capacity building. Comparable to CLDH through direct partnership (EuroMed Rights is a listed partner of CLDH) and shared focus on regional human rights advocacy.
• Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and Violence: Specialized rehabilitation center providing holistic support for torture survivors including medical, psychological, and legal interventions. Directly comparable to CLDH's Nassim Rehabilitation Center, though based in Lebanon's region with broader referral networks.
• Aleppo Center for Human Rights Studies (AleppoCHR): Syria/Lebanon-focused human rights documentation and advocacy organization. Directly comparable to CLDH as a regional NGO working on human rights monitoring, refugee protection, and policy advocacy in the Levant, though with less focus on direct legal aid and rehabilitation services.

Regional players

• Syrian Center for Legal Aid and Studies (SCLAS): Syria-based legal aid and human rights documentation organization serving Syrian refugees and IDPs. Comparable to CLDH on legal aid for refugees and torture survivors, though focused on Syria rather than Lebanon as host country.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lebanese-center-for-human-rights-cldh-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)