Helem

Helem (Arabic: حلم‎‎) is a Lebanese non-profit organization working on improving the legal and social status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT). Helem (complete name Arabic: حماية لبنانية للمثليين‎‎, ḥimāya lubnāniya lil-mithliyīn, literally "Lebanese Protection for homosexuals") is the first LGBT advocacy group in the Arab World. Helem means dream in Arabic.

Helem (the Arabic acronym of "Lebanese Protection for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People"), is a non-governmental non-profit organization registered in Quebec (Canada) as of February 11, 2004. As mentioned in Helem's constituting act, its action encompasses Lebanon and Canada. Helem has also established support groups in Australia, France and the United States, in addition to Canada.

Helem is a legal organization recognized in Lebanon. As explained in the Helem website, "according to the Lebanese law of association, any non-government organization can register through providing public notice (in Arabic علم وخبر pronounced as ilm wa khabar) to the Lebanese Ministry of Interior.

Helem's primary goal is the annulment of article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code which punishes "unnatural sexual intercourse". This law is primarily used to target the LGBT community by violating the privacy of its members and by denying them basic human rights. The abolishment of this law will help reduce state and societal persecution and pave the way to achieving equality for the LGBT community in Lebanon. Helem's other main objective is to counter the AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases while advocating for the rights of patients.

...
Wikipedia