Child abuse is a critical issue that has long been neglected in Lebanon. A study conducted in 2008 showed that 1 out of 6 children in Lebanon is a victim of sexual abuse.  This refers to only 1 out of 4 types of abuse a child can be exposed to: physical, psychlogical, sexual, and neglect.

In light of these alarming results, Himaya was founded in 2009 and launched a controversial media campaign aiming to break the taboo surrounding child sexual abuse, especially incest and risky environments. The organization has continued to grow, responding to child protection needs on a national level. The dedicated & multidisciplinary team of professionals covers all Lebanese territory with offices in Mount Lebanon, Beirut, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and the Bekaa; ensuring accessible services to all beneficiaries across Lebanon.

Himaya achieves its mission through its two main programs:

The Prevention Program:

The aim of the Prevention Program is to develop the knowledge, know-how and necessary self-protection skills needed by caregivers, professionals and children in order to prevent abuse. Awareness activities are carefully prepared and delivered within public or private sectors, indirectly allowing facilitators to detect cases of abuse while raising awareness on the subject. In 2016 alone, the prevention program was able to reach 93,876.

THE Resilience Program:

The Resilience program offers specialized psychosocial services to children, and their families through our external offices spread out across Lebanon. In 2016 alone, the Resilience Program worked with more than 1,742 cases of child abuse among which 39% were referred by the Prevention Program of Himaya.