Mission Statement
Helem leads a peaceful struggle for the liberation of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgendered (LGBT), and other persons with non-conforming sexuality or gender identity in Lebanon from all sorts of violations of civil, political, economic, social, or cultural rights.

Identity
Helem (the Arabic acronym of "Lebanese Protection for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders"), is a non-governmental non-profit organization. It presented its notification of association to the Lebanese Ministry of Interior on 4 September 2004.

Although it focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity issues, Helem's membership is open to any person who shares our values based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Helem is also strongly opposed to any kind of segregation, both in the services it offers or in the struggle it leads.

Goals
Helem's primary goal is the annulment of article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code which punishes "unnatural sexual intercourse". This law is primarily used to target persons with non-conforming sexuality or gender identity, through the violation of privacy and by denial of basic human rights. The abolishment of this law, along with other laws that criminalize non-conforming sexuality or gender identity, will help reduce state and societal persecution and pave the way to achieving equality for the LGBT community in Lebanon.

Another main objective is to counter the AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases while advocating for the rights of patients and combatting stigma.

We work in solidarity in order to:

• Abolish Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code 534, that punishes ‘sexual intercourse contrary to nature’, and is used to criminalize same-sex and encourages habitual violation of human rights in a culture of impunity; to guarantee a legal framework that protects the personal freedoms of individuals and does not interfere in them.
• End discrimination against LGBTIQ individuals in schools and universities and to remove books and academic references that promote hatred.
• Put pressure on public, for profit, and non-profit medical service providers to respect the privacy of all their patients/clients, especially those who face social stigma (such as people living with HIV); furthermore, to stop discrimination against LGBTIQ individuals in health services and to make those services available to everyone equally, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, or socioeconomic status.
• Eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, including their the right to pass their nationality to their children; end domestic violence, violence in workplaces, and prevent using women’s bodies for commercial purposes in advertising.
• Separate religion from the affairs of the state and the lives of people, create a civil personal status law outside of the control of religious institutions, introducing comprehensive sex education in school curricula from the age of eleven, and respecting sexual freedoms and the freedom to choose one’s sexual or romantic partner.
• Increase the minimum wage to contribute to bettering the situations of working women and other economically marginalized groups, enforcing equal pay for men and women in all positions, and forbidding discrimination in salaries based on race, gender, sex, sexuality, nationality, etc…
• Implement Law 220 concerning people with special needs, the elimination of all forms of discrimination against them, and increasing accessibility in schools, streets, public, and private spaces.
• End discrimination against foreign workers, including but not limited to domestic workers, and respecting and treating them like humans with rights before anything else; ending violence and sexual harassment against them, and allowing them paid vacation time. Additionally, shutting down the foreigner’s prison in Adlieh where the worst types of torture occur, without rule of law, specifically towards people from the global south and developing countries (non-Lebanese passport holders).
• End the criminalization of male and female sex workers, allowing them the right to organize, as well as providing them access to non-judgmental medical and social services.
• Decriminalize the act of drug using and providing non-judgmental rehabilitation services for addicts instead of sending them to prison.
• End the stereotyping of the image of women, men, and marginalized social groups and accepting differences in appearance, weight, height, eye color, dress style, lifestyle, etc…
• Enforce protective environmentally friendly policies; on the basis of saving the environment over profit.