LocationsLegal Aid on the Frontlines of Displacement
March 27, 2026
Legal Aid on the Frontlines of Displacement
Since the escalation of hostilities on March 2, over one million people were displaced across Lebanon, with over 133,000 currently sheltering in more than 600 collective sites nationwide. Many families fled with no more than what they could carry, often leaving behind their most crucial documents and identification papers: IDs, passports, and civil records.
Amidst this large-scale displacement, women and children remain the most at risk, with over 54 per cent of those in shelters being female. According to UNFPA, there are currently 565 pregnant women in shelters, underscoring the urgency of interventions for protection and civil registration.
Without documentation, access to healthcare, assistance, and basic services becomes difficult, leaving many unable to claim basic rights at a time when they need it the most.
Established legal aid helpdesks, supported by UNDP with funding from the Government of Canada and the European Union, are active across Lebanon, including in Beirut, the South, the North, and Baalbek-Hermel. Their teams are being deployed directly to shelters to provide free legal aid services including legal information, counselling, and assistance, while hotlines have been made widely available to ensure access to support.
A legal aid officer in a shelter in Saida reviewing the documentation of displaced individuals.
A legal aid officer distributing a hotline poster in a shelter in Saida, South Lebanon.
Recent assessments highlight growing legal needs linked to documentation loss, housing and property rights, and protection concerns—particularly gender-based violence, with awareness sessions in shelters serving as a key entry point for identifying individual cases.
As needs continue to grow, outreach is expected to expand further ensuring that access to rights is not left behind during the crisis.
Background
Since 2021, UNDP has been supporting the development and piloting of a national vision for the provision of free and comprehensive quality legal aid services for vulnerable populations in Lebanon. Led by the Access to Justice Working Group—chaired by the Ministry of Justice and bringing together key national and international partners including the bar associations—this approach expands the concept of legal aid beyond representation before courts to include a full spectrum of services, such as legal information, awareness, assistance, counselling, representation, and alternative dispute resolution.
As part of this effort, several legal aid helpdesks models are being piloted across Lebanon, including a dedicated presence in central prisons. These helpdesks operate through diverse delivery models: through the bar association, under the umbrella of the municipality/governor's office, within the university context, and within the prisons setting—to ensure accessibility and sustainability. Dedicated hotlines are also in place to facilitate access to services and provide timely legal support:
• North (Tripoli): 70341600
• South: 81035591
• Baalbek-Hermel: 81292549
• Beirut (USJ): 81369736
• Prison Helpdesk: 76329319
Together, they aim to bring justice services closer to people, particularly in underserved areas, and to strengthen access to rights through coordinated, people-centered legal aid.