We are an independent Syrian initiative working at the intersection of social research, human rights, and digital technologies to counter hate speech and violence in both digital and community spaces.
Our work emerged from a clear gap: the absence of an independent body capable of systematically tracking hate speech in Syria and providing reliable data that supports protection efforts, policy design, and community resilience.
"We believe that words are not just opinions—they shape safety, trust, and the future of our society."
Our Vision
A Syria where people can express themselves freely and responsibly, protected from incitement, stigma, and exclusion, within a society that upholds social peace and shared belonging.
Our Mission
We strengthen digital and community safety by:
- ✓Monitoring and analyzing hate speech through rigorous, evidence-based methods
- ✓Building linguistic models capable of understanding Syrian contexts and dialects
- ✓Supporting civil society actors in addressing harmful discourse
- ✓Advancing legal pathways to hold instigators accountable
- ✓Promoting alternative narratives grounded in dignity, empathy, and human rights
Our Values
Independence
Working free from political or religious polarization
Objectivity
Grounding our work in verifiable, transparent data
Context Sensitivity
Respecting the diversity and complexity of Syrian society
Confidentiality & Data Protection
Upholding strict digital safety standards
Partnership
Collaborating with organizations, researchers, and communities
Integrity
Ensuring ethical, accurate, and responsible practices
How We Work
Our approach is built on three interconnected pillars that together provide a comprehensive response to hate speech:
1. Monitoring & Analysis
We receive and review reports from Syrians inside the country and across the diaspora, classify harmful content, and identify narratives and risk levels through a hybrid human-technical model.
2. Technical Development
We develop a Syrian-dialect language model trained on thousands of real-world examples to detect hate speech more accurately and efficiently, supported at every stage by human verification.
3. Awareness & Advocacy
We transform insights and data into public awareness campaigns, training materials, and policy recommendations, enabling civil society and humanitarian actors to design evidence-based interventions.
Be a Partner in Change
We believe that countering hate speech is a collective responsibility. If you are a researcher, tech developer, legal expert, or civil activist, and wish to invest your skills to build a safe and inclusive Syrian digital space, Baligh initiative opens its doors for you to volunteer and be part of the solution.
Volunteer With Us