NAHNOO

About us

NAHNOO, registered in 2009, is a youth-led non-governmental organization rallying volunteers across Lebanon to work towards an inclusive society through advocacy campaigns that promote: Good Governance, Public Spaces, and Cultural Heritage. NAHNOO is a research, capacity building and advocacy platform for participatory public policy-making, working towards an inclusive society in Lebanon. Throughout its years of operation, NAHNOO has carried out multiple programs and projects that advocate for the promotion of public institutions that embody values of equity, transparency, rule of law, and accountability, which, in turn, would foster a more inclusive, informed political environment and encourage civic engagement. Under the areas of intervention mentioned above, NAHNOO’s advocacy campaigns focus on challenging the existing sectarian system to attain a civil state in which all citizens are equal, improving municipal and governmental transparency as well as administrative decentralization, preserving the Lebanese public spaces such as the coast, in addition to protecting built heritage and craftsmanship.

Vision
Toward an inclusive society.

Mission
NAHNOO is a research, capacity building and advocacy platform for participatory public policy-making, working towards an inclusive society in Lebanon.

Campaigns
• The Coast for All: The advocacy campaign aims at amending the budget Law 64/2017, by adding a clause that “restricts the right to occupy the Maritime Public Domain of the Lebanese State only to take into account the requirements of national defense and the public interest”. Private individuals and companies must be prevented from occupying the coast and monopolizing its economic value. Campaign Objectives: Develop a comprehensive zoning plan of the beach, as well as local guidelines based on this plan for the Lebanese land arrangement, which respects and implements the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Protocol; Remove all violations at the entire coast; Update the delineation of the Maritime Public Domain; Update the decision 144/s on 1925, especially the issue of the formation of the marine public domain commission
• Our Crafts, Our Identity: The campaign aims to empower the marginalized handicrafts workers in Lebanon to participate in policy reform to better address their rights, needs, and concerns, and enhance their social protection. The project is a step toward understanding the legal context these workers operate, to give them a voice, protect their craft, and improve their economic standing. Campaign Objectives: Protect the intangible cultural heritage in Lebanon and between MENA while improving Civic and community engagement; Ensure Inclusive policies that protect marginalized handicrafts workers
• Shams Initiative
• Municipal Stadium: The Municipal Stadium “Mala’b Al Baladi” located in Tarik Jdide was built by the French. The stadium was done by 1940 and then finished up when they began using the stadium for games and activities. It was used by different groups for events, holiday prayers, celebrations, games, and different sports competitions. Despite its memorial and cultural importance the Beirut Municipality wanted to move the stadium to Horch Beirut and replace it with a multi-functional space and underground Parking area. The proposed project was presented without doing any study and without taking into consideration the different challenges and problems that will cause such as traffic congestion. NAHNOO led a campaign “ليضل الملعب بلدي ” with the collaboration of Tarik El-Jdide residents to advocate against the decision of the municipality. Successfully, NAHNOO could stop the project. Campaign Objectives: Developing a plan for the protection of the stadium; Raising awareness among citizens on the importance of the stadium; Highlighting the negative impact that might occur if the project was implemented.
• Municipalities Under the Spotlight: The municipal decisions are public information, and citizens have the right to access the information within them, as is stipulated in Articles 45, 55, and 76 of the Municipal Act. ‘Municipalities under the Spotlight’ is a campaign that focuses upon the promotion of transparency at the municipal level by publishing all municipal decisions online. Campaign Goals: Calling for large municipalities to create their websites and publish all their decisions online, especially those finance-related; Raising awareness of the importance of transparency in municipal work, what it involves, and the principle behind it; Ensuring participatory governance that enables citizens to participate systematically in decision-making and public policy processes.
• and more …

Mohammad Ayoub is the Founder of NAHNOO.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.