Who is SIDC Lebanon

The Vision of SIDC

To ensure that vulnerable populations enjoy their health and human rights and fulfill their potentials in a society free of stigma and discrimination.

Achieving More, Together

SIDC's MISSION

SIDC is a Lebanese Non profit civil society organization that meaningfully engages vulnerable populations, to promote their health and wellbeing pertaining to HIV, Harm reduction, SRHR, and mental health, to support them in enjoying their human and gender rights, and to work towards an inclusive society free of stigma and discrimination at the national and regional level.

Strategic Orientations

  • Strategic orientation one: Strengthen and cultivate organizational excellence and growth by working on organizational and institutional capacities
  • Strategic orientation two: Promoting the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations
  • Strategic orientation three: Advancing human rights and gender equality for vulnerable populations
  • Strategic orientation four: Meaningfully engage with vulnerable populations towards an inclusive society

Communities SIDC serves

  • SIDC serves Lebanese and non-Lebanese during normal situations, emergency, and pandemics crisis, without discrimination of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, race, age, religion and social class.
    We work with : People living with HIV, LGBTQIA+ community, female and male sex workers and people who use drugs.
    We also work with vulnerable populations to HIV and substance use among people with disabilities, domestic workers, displaced persons, refugees and prisoners/ex-prisoners SIDC works with special attention on women, adolescents and youth.

MEMBERSHIPS

Founding member in the Regional Arab Network against AIDS (RANAA)
Founding member of the Lebanese AIDS Network Association LANA
Member of the World Hepatitis Alliance
Member of the Fronltine AIDS Network
Member of the Human Rights Network
Member of the Lebanese Human Development Forum (LHDF)
Part of Lebanese Crisis Response Plan (LCRP)

HISTORY

Striving ahead, constantly progressing

Our History and Milestones, since 1987

1987 - How it all began

In 1987 SIDC started its work as a home nursing care association that provides services for the most vulnerable population in Lebanon. SIDC prime goal was to improve the disrupted societal context following the civil war in Lebanon. It was officially registered 9/AD in 1992 as a non-profit organisation.

1990 - 1996 New programs and moving forward

In 1990s, SIDC incorporated several community health programs: home nursing care for people living with HIV, education and health care for diabetes, awareness raising, prevention and capacity building with relation to substance use, HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, in addition to a school health, youth club and environmental health programs. Furthermore, in In 1994, SIDC took the initiative to establish a regional observatory on demand drugs reduction supported by CIMADE and SOS Drugs International. In 1996, SIDC launched "Beit El Shabibeh" center for youth at risk of drug use. This program was developed over the years till the establishment of the "Escale" as the first harm reduction center for people who use drugs in 2010.

1996 - 2002 Progress and Harm reduction Program

In 1996, SIDC was the first association that contributed to the development and amendment for law reform to decriminalize substance use. SIDC undertook a legal study to protect People Living with HIV, conducted a series of studies on the status of the vulnerable communities as well as modified policies to improve the conditions in which they live. In 2000, SIDC was the first association to launch community-based outreach awareness program that adopts peer to peer education and field workers to introduce community interventions addressing people who use drugs, vulnerable communities, youth at risk, sex workers and men who have sex with men.

2002-2022 Field Outreach Program

In 2002, the outreach program expands its services and included anonymous and confidential testing and counselling for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. These services were provided at the mobile unit that accompanies field workers in different regions in Lebanon. Till today, SIDC is well known as the pioneer on the national and regional level in the field of outreach and peer to peer awareness raising. In 2000, SIDC was the first association to launch community-based outreach awareness program that adopts peer to peer education and field workers to introduce community interventions addressing people who use drugs, vulnerable communities, youth at risk, sex workers and men who have sex with men. In 2002, SIDC was a founding member of the Regional/Arab Network against AIDS (RANAA), and continues to be an active member representing Lebanon in the network

2004- 2015 Scaling up outreach program and services for Men who have Sex with Men

The outreach program coordinated by SIDC as part of a regional program supported by frontline AIDS.

2007 - 2017 Knowledge Hub Funded by Menahra

SIDC hosts the sub-regional knowledge hub for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Yemen and the six Gulf States.

2008 - Vivre Positif

In 2008, SIDC participated in the establishement of the first NGO for PLHIV in Lebanon “Vivre Positif”.

2015- The Lebanese AIDS Network Association (LANA)

In 2015, the Lebanese AIDS Network Association (LANA) was established by SIDC to serve as a consolidated network of local non-governmental organizations that have a direct or indirect role in ending HIV/ AIDS in Lebanon

2017-The Human Rights Network

SIDC was a founding member of the “Human Rights Network” which was established in 2017 under the USAID-funded Building Alliances for Local Advancement, Development and Investment - Capacity Building program (BALADI CAP).

35 Years in Glance

For the past 35 years, SIDC has been involved in providing a comprehensive package of services within and outside its center (through its mobile unit). These services include mental health, reproductive and sexual health, prevention and treatment for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, drug addiction and related harm reduction services and materials in addition to legal services. Moreover, SIDC was among the first NGOs that integrated a cross-cutting program related to stigma reduction in all of its programs. SIDC built networks and partnerships and developed the capacities of various stakeholders and key players of the HIV response including media representatives, religious leaders, police officers, health and social care service providers, workplace owners and employees among others. Fifteen years ago, SIDC launched an outreach program in Lebanon based on peer approach reaching out to injecting drug users (IDUs), sex workers, LGBTQIA+ and other people at risk to deliver services related to HIV/HBV/HCV/ Syphilis through a mobile unit. SIDC continues to be a pioneer in this area at the national and regional levels. SIDC services and programs reach to adolescents and youth at risk, males and females sex workers, LGBTQIA+, people living with HIV (PLHIV) and People who use Drugs (PWUDs), marginalized girls and women, domestic workers, displaced persons, refugees and prisoners. In addition, SIDC has been advocating and defending the rights of all of the aforementioned marginalized groups through documentation of violations at various levels, providing access to reliable information, relevant skills, and adequate services and enabling these groups to increase their capacity to claim their rights.

Meet our Team!

View Team Members

OUR VALUES

Inclusiveness and Development

Evidence-based response

Intersectionality

Collaboration

Respect for human and gender rights

Accessibility and proximity

Transparency

Forward thinking and adaptive actions

Sustainability of service interventions

OUR DONORS