Statement Issued by Helem

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Addressed to the Lebanese Government, the Disaster Risk Management Unit, and International Organizations Working Within the Emergency Response Plan.

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In light of the serious security developments resulting from Israel’s expansion of hostilities against Lebanon and the renewed waves of internal displacement, Helem emphasizes the need for any national emergency response plan to be comprehensive, fair, and inclusive of all affected groups, without exception or discrimination.

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The experience of the previous war demonstrated that state response plans were not sufficiently inclusive of displaced LGBTQ+ individuals. Many faced compounded challenges, including the inability to access state collective shelters, exposure to harassment or violence, difficulty accessing health and psychosocial services, and fear of disclosing their gender identity or sexual orientation due to stigma and discrimination.

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Any emergency plan that fails to take the most vulnerable groups into account exposes their lives and dignity to additional risks. Accordingly, Helem calls for the following:

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1. Integrating a rights-based and non-discrimination approach in all stages of planning and implementation, ensuring safe and equal access to assistance and services.

2. Training staff working in shelters and emergency response on principles of protection from gender-based violence and discrimination, including issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation.

3. Reassessment of the currently adopted shelter model, which relies exclusively on the concept of the “traditional family” aligned with a specific social structure. In practice, this leads to the systematic exclusion of non-traditional families and individuals who do not belong to conventional family units, including LGBTQ+ individuals, survivors of domestic violence, migrant workers, and people without supportive family networks.

4. Involving civil society organizations specialized in gender issues and LGBTQ+ rights in the design, implementation, and monitoring of the emergency response plan.

5. Establishing clear monitoring and accountability standards to ensure that violations or discriminatory practices do not occur during the implementation of the emergency plan.

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Disasters and conflicts do not justify the suspension of rights or the neglect of marginalized groups. On the contrary, the need for a humanitarian approach grounded in dignity and equality becomes even more urgent in times of crisis.

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Helem places its expertise and experience at the disposal of relevant authorities and affirms its readiness to cooperate to ensure that the emergency plan is more just, effective, and inclusive.

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Dignity is indivisible, and protection must include everyone without exception.

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Beirut, 4/3/2026

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