The Balance Organization
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Who We Are

An Ethiopian non-governmental, non-profit organization where the law meets psychology

The Balance Organization is based in Addis Ababa. We are the first centre in Ethiopia to fully integrate human rights protection with mental health advocacy, completely free of charge.

Why integration

Both, at the same time, from the same team

Most services in Ethiopia offer one or the other. We offer both, at the same time, from the same team. A lawyer and a psychologist plan every case together, to offer you a quality of life where your rights are respected and your peace of mind is served.

A right you cannot feel is not a right. A freedom you cannot enjoy is not freedom.

The Balance Organization logo: scales of justice holding a brain, a dove with an olive branch, and a laurel wreath
Vision

Our vision

Mental health is a human right. The Balance Organization envisions an Ethiopia where the law and the mind work together to restore human dignity and strengthen families, so that people can live healthy lives.

We believe that when a person is safe, the family is safe. As families thrive, society and the country are protected too.

Mission

Our mission

To provide integrated legal and psychological services that protect the human rights of people facing all forms of human rights violations, giving free, integrated, professional services to vulnerable populations.

Objectives

What we are working toward

  1. Mental health is a human right

    To promote understanding that mental health is a human right, and that psychological wellbeing is essential to justice.

  2. Legal and psychological services together

    To provide legal and psychological services together, ensuring that no client receives one alone.

  3. Defend rights and advocate for change

    To defend against human rights violations affecting individuals, families, society, and the country, and to advocate for systemic change within the framework of Ethiopian and international human rights law.

  4. Train professionals

    To train legal and psychological professionals in trauma-informed, human rights-based practice.

  5. Reach people where they are

    To provide home-based therapy and legal aid for those unable to travel, prison-based services for incarcerated persons, and hotline services for people living outside Addis Ababa.

Our principles

How we work

Dignity first

You are a person with rights, not a case file. We speak plainly, listen carefully, and never rush you.

Confidential

What you tell us stays with us. We share nothing without your permission, unless the law requires it to keep a child or a life safe.

Trauma-informed

We understand how stress and trauma affect memory, decisions, and trust. Our whole team is trained to work with that in mind.

Rights-based

Our work rests on the Ethiopian Constitution and the human rights standards Ethiopia has committed to.

Free of charge

We never ask the people we help to pay. Not for a consultation, not for a court filing, not for a therapy session.

Honest about limits

We do not promise outcomes. We promise to stay beside you, tell you the truth, and do our best work.

Our people

One team, two professions

Our staff and volunteers are Ethiopian lawyers and mental health professionals, supported by social workers and administrators. Each case is handled by a pair from both professions.

We are governed by a board and run by a small management team in Addis Ababa. Our accounts are audited each year, and we publish what we find. See Impact & Reports.

Join the team

Licensed lawyers and psychologists can take on a small pro bono caseload with training, supervision, and a partner from the other profession.

Volunteer

Do you need help?

If any of this sounds like your situation, contact us. It is free and confidential.

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