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95 Associations have a 'Social Welfare' status: Sectarian and Political Quotas

95 Associations have a 'Social Welfare' status: Sectarian and Political Quotas

Lebanese NGOs, which number more than 7,000, are classified into various types and levels. Some of them lack the minimal potential required and their existence is only limited to the factual certificate, while others are very active and receive huge funding (part of which are state funds). Indeed, the most important, powerful and effective of all are the 95 NGOs that have gained a special decree granting them the so-called "social welfare" status.

"Social Welfare" Status 
An association is licensed by a factual certificate issued by the minister of interior and municipalities, while the status of "social welfare" is granted to an association through a decree issued by the government in line with a request submitted by the association to the Ministry of Social Affairs. 
 
Legislative Decree No. 87 dated June 30, 1977 (and its amendments) stipulates that a "social welfare" association is any association or institution that seeks to fulfill any of society’s needs.
 
Based on the decree, the status can be granted as long as an association meets the following conditions:
• It should be a non-profit association with goals targeted toward social and public-service sectors.
• It should offer comprehensive and sustainable services.
•It has been operating for more than three years.
• It dedicates its full resources to achieve its goals.
• It comprises skilled and specialized members.
• It shelters or takes care of orphans facing difficult conditions.
• It offers health care and hospitalization in charitable dispensaries.
 
Characteristics and Benefits
"Social welfare" associations benefit from aid and exemptions stipulated in the legislative decree, such as:
• Aid and assistance granted by the government, municipalities and public institutions.
• Exemption from taxes and fees.
• Exemption from transportation fees or any other fees and taxes imposed on grants received by the association, including municipal taxes.
 
Supervision over "Social Welfare" Associations
According to the decree, "social welfare" associations are subject to supervision by the Court of Audit. The decree also stipulates the creation of a supervisory committee, which looks into annual reports submitted by the association and which includes the latter's  activities, achievements and budget. The committee’s term is three years. It is headed by a president (which must be a current or former judge), two members representing the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Affairs, an expert in social affairs, and a representative of "social welfare" associations.
 
The president receives LBP120,000 and committee members LBP100,000 for each session held outside official working hours. (The decree stipulating this allowance also states that the number of sessions outside official working hours should not exceed five per month.)
 
Numbers of "Social Welfare" Associations
The number of licensed NGOs in Lebanon in 2017 amounted to around 7,000, of which only 95 are "social welfare" associations. However, legislative decree no.87/77 stipulates that associations which already received the "social welfare" status before the issuance of the decree should renew their applications. Since not all associations have submitted applications, only 95 have been granted this status, as shown in the following table. As we can see, most of these associations follow political or sectarian authorities and are not independent civil associations. This political and sectarian affiliation provides them with the needed coverage to perform their actions and meet the goals of the authorities set by the authorities they are working with, whilst taking benefit from donations, exemptions and privileges granted to them by the Lebanese government.
 
Table showing the 95 associations that earned the "social welfare" status.

Association

Factual Certificate

and (Date of Establishment)

Decree granting it "social welfare" status and (date)

Lebanese Non-governmental Organizations

Ajyalouna Association

41/a.d.

(1-3-1995)

4278

(25-10-2000)

Lions International

2483

(27-7-1953)

3640

(14-8-2000)

The Free Meal

841/a.d.

(1-6-1959)

3480

(20-7-2000)

Mothers’ Committee in Lebanon

506

(27-4-1960)

7895

(30-1-1996)

Auxilia Lebanon

220/a.d.

(25-8-1992)

7545

(18-11-1995)

Social Assistance Association

179/a.d.

(25-4-1969)

7543

(18-11-1995)

Arc-en-ciel

162/a.d.

(6-6-1995)

7541

(18-11-1997)

Days of Hope (Ayam al-Raja’a)

102/a.d.

(23-4-1986)

7121

(17-8-1995)

National Committee for Popular Work

109/a.d.

(28-9-1979)

5832

(20-10-1994)

Social and Charitable Association in Nabatieh

282/a.d.

(21-9-1988)

5831

(20-10-1994)

SOS Children’s Villages

468/a.d.

(21-9-1964)

5830

(20-10-1994)

Orphan Relief Association in Tripoli

1683/a.d.

(15-2-1956)

5681

(26-9-1994)

Lebanese Popular Najda Association

224/a.d.

(28-6-1974)

5309

(28-6-1994)

Righteousness and Security (Al-Bar w al-Aman) Association in Tyre

-

1169

(15-4-1978)

Sidon Orphan Welfare Society

1899

(1952)

1169

(15-9-1978)

Union of Development Associations in Lebanon

183/a.d.

(10-8-1983)

4832

(12-5-1988)

Lebanese Children Association

97/a.d.

(30-8-1977)

3872

(11-5-1987)

Lebanese Red Cross

111

(9-7-1945)

3039

(6-3-1986)

Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (Renewal)

-

1415

(31-12-1983)

Lebanese Association for the Protection of the Youth (Renewal-1939)

-

Legislative Decree no.119/83

National Center for Technical Training in Beirut

544/a.d.

(26-11-1964)

2639

(18-1-1980)

Association for the Care of Lebanese Children, Beirut(Renewal-1963)

1240

(25-5-1946)

2088

(15-6-1979)

Solidarity for Education, Beirut (Renewal-1969)

561/a.d.

(4-12-1964)

1983

(30-4-1979)

Association

Factual Certificate

and (Date of Establishment)

Decree granting it "social welfare" status and (date)

Development Studies Seminars in Beirut (Renewal-1972)

245/a.d.

(11-6-1965)

1587

(23-12-1978)

Family Organization Association (Renewal-1971)

445/a.d.

(19-8-1969)

1427

(24-6-1978)

Children Care Association in Zahleh (Renewal-1960)

-

1427

(24-6-1978)

Village Revitalization Association in Beirut

2481

(27-2-1953)

2877

(21-4-1980)

Lebanese Child and Mother Care Association

433

(26-7-1955)

4020

(9-4-1981)

Lebanese Union for Child Welfare (LUCW)

1686

(4-7-1959)

4021

(9-4-1981)

Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation

107/a.d.

(19-7-2003)

1777

(23-4-2009)

Lebanese Blood Transfusion Center

26

(3-5-1977)

2367

(30-10-1979)

Social Movement in Lebanon (Renewal-1963)

260

(3-5-1961)

2375

(24-10-1979)

Children›s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) Association

138/a.d.

(12-10-2000)

11120

(30-1-2014)

Institut de Rééducation Audio Phonétique (IRAP)

-

-

Christian Associations

Dr. Antoine Abi Rashed Charitable and Social Foundation

362/a.d.

(29-9-1993)

9246

(3-10-1996)

Oum el-Nour

120/a.d.

(6-9-1990)

7897

(3-1-1996)

Saydet al-Raja’a Foundation for Culture and Education

145/a.d.

(8-10-1987)

7896

(30-1-1996)

Cross Association and all its projects throughout Lebanon (Renewal-1948)

-

1169

(15-4-1978)

Dar al-Sadaqa

6/a.d.

(11-1-1980)

7118

(17-8-1995)

Permanent Care Center (Al-Ria’aya al-Da’ima)

18/a.d.

(22-1-1993)

5241

(17-6-1994)

Saint Vincent de Paul Association

545

(19-7-1923)

4823

(26-2-1994)

Caritas Lebanon

5/a.d.

(10-2-1977)

887

(24-1-1991)

Beit al-Mustaqbal

42/a.d.

(19-4-1984)

4831

(12-5-1988)

Monseigneur Cortbawi Institute

35/3

(7-1-1980)

3785

(23-1-1981)

Maronite Social Fund

-

12741

(1-8-1998)

Al-Kafaat Foundation

-

2087

(15-6-1979)

Association

Factual Certificate

and (Date of Establishment)

Decree granting it "social welfare" status and (date)

Lebanese College for the Handicapped Beit-Chebab

56/a.d.

(27-6-1977)

2416

(15-11-1979)

Yadouna Association

Decree no.364

(17-5-2012)

11111

(30-1-2014)

Friends of Al-Mahaba Restaurants Association

187/a.d.

(18-7-1988)

11119

(30-1-2014)

Rene Moawad Foundation

110/a.d.

(19-6-1991)

11117

(3-1-2014)

Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)

-

-

Labora Association

421

(2-4-2008)

-

Association for the Support of Lebanon’s Armenians

2103

(22-10-1935)

3773

(1-4-1987)

Armenian Public Charity Association

18

(5-7-1940)

6547

(21-3-1995)

Fares Foundation

117/a.d.

(10-8-1987)

5308

(28-6-1994)

INDEVCO Foundation that later became Georges N.Frem Foundation

14/a.d.

(25-1-2001)

11114

(30-1-2014)

Sunni Associations

Islamic Youth Association

104/a.d.

(31-10-1981)

7540

(18-11-1995)

Popular Relief Association

121/a.d.

(25-12-1981)

7119

(17-8-1995)

Maarouf Saad Cultural, Social and Charitable Foundation

118

(14-7-1980)

6005

(25-11-1994)

Dar al-Ajaza al-Islamiya

307/a.d.

(26-12-1991)

5833

(20-10-1994)

Lebanon Loyalty Association (formerly known as the Islamic Charitable Loyalty Association)

449/a.d.

(2-10-1965)

5828

(27-10-1994)

Al-Hariri Charitable Association

198/a.d.

(18-8-1993)

4016

(14-9-1993)

Islamic Hospital in Tripoli

261

(11-3-1945)

536

(10-9-1990)

Al-Zakat Fund

Decision no.26

(21-12-1978)

3853

(27-4-1987)

Sea Mosque Association in Saida

1522/a.d.

(31-10-1964)

4024

(26-2-1994)

Social Welfare Institutions - Islamic Orphanage 

-

2086

(15-6-1979)

Azm & Saade Association

96/a.d.

(6-4-1988)

11112

(30-1-2014)

Safadi Foundation

75/a.d.

(2-5-2001)

11113

(30-1-2014)

Dr. Nasib Barbir Medical Est.

-

2273

(6-9-1979)

Association

Factual Certificate

and (Date of Establishment)

Decree granting it "social welfare" status and (date)

Beirut Society for Social Development

118/a.d.

(14-10-1998)

-

Islamic Cultural Center

294/a.d.

(9-6-1971)

-

Shia'a Associations

Hajj Mohammed Ali Hojeij & Sons Charitable Association

82/a.d.

(11-4-1992)

4986

(1-3-2001)

Ali Jammal Association for Social Care

109/a.d.

(20-4-1988)

4866

(12-2-2001)

Jihad al-Bina Development Foundation

239/a.d.

(11-9-1988)

4277

(25-10-2000)

Imam al-Sadr Associations

19/a.d.

(22-2-1984)

3750

(29-8-2000)

The Martyr Charitable Foundation

37/a.d.

(3-2-1988)

7115

(17-8-1995)

Islamic Health Association

299/a.d.

(21-10-1988)

7114

(17-8-1995)

Al-Imdad al-Khayria al-Islamiya Committee

85/a.d.

(29-3-1988)

5829

(27-10-1994)

Al-Mabarat Philanthropic Association

126/a.d.

(28-7-1978)

2879

(15-10-1992)

Al-Amiliya Islamic Charitable Association

4775

(4-12-1954)

5201

(13-9-1988)

Islamic Association for Educational Guidance and Specialization

498/a.d.

(4-9-1969)

4857

(30-5-1988)

Ghobeiri Cultural and Charitable Association

283/a.d.

(22-7-1966)

1414

(31-12-1983)

Association for Work Professionalism

1047

(3-3-1954)

1982

(30-4-1979)

Medrar Foundation

1345

(11-8-2010)

11110

(30-1-2014)

Lebanese Martyr Oasis Foundation

254/a.d.

(6-11-1990)

-

Druze Associations

Al-Jabal Foundation for the Disabled (later named the National Center for Rehabilitation and Development)

30/a.d.

(10-3-1986)

7546

(18-11-1995)

Al-Iman Association for the Druze Confession

11/a.d.

(18-1-1980)

6615

(7-4-1995)

Association

Factual Certificate

and (Date of Establishment)

Decree granting it "social welfare" status and (date)

Aref al-Nakdi School and Druze Orphanage

148/a.d.

(15-1-1991)

6272

(20-1-1995)

Al-Irfan Tawheed Association

483/a.d.

(15-11-1971)

5827

(20-10-1994)

Board of Trustees of the Health Establishment of the Druze Community (HEDC) in Ain Wazein

123/a.d.

(17-8-1977)

4021

(9-4-1981)

Oumana Association Druze Orphan Care Institution

-

11115

(30-1-2014)

Al-Wadi Al-Azhar Cultural, Educational, Social and Charitable Foundation

978

(19-6-2009)

11116

(30-1-2014)

Kamal Jumblatt Social Foundation in Upper Matn

-

11118

(30-1-2014)

Al-Ishraq Welfare Association

46/a.d.

(22-2-1988)

-

American Associations

World Vision - Lebanon

Decree no.2520

(29-6-1985)

7544

(18-11-1995)
Source: The Official Gazette and press and personal information on the identity of associations and institutions.

Based on the above-mentioned table, "social welfare" associations are distributed as follows:

 

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