
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, stand in solidarity with Syrian women and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) who have stood firmly in the face of overlapping forms of oppression. Syrian women have a long history of mobilizing to advance their rights, including decades of struggle against the Baath regime. Once the revolution in Syria began, many women took to the streets, defying traditional societal barriers, and emerging as leaders, human rights defenders, advocates, and community-builders.
Syrian women have fought tirelessly for justice––advocating for arbitrarily arrested and forcibly disappeared persons, empowering their communities through local initiatives, and challenging social and political norms in both the private and public sphere. Their leadership and sacrifices have been instrumental to the pursuit of freedom and democracy in Syria.
As the country navigates a fragile transition period, it is critical that the rights of Syrian women and WHRDs are neither marginalized nor diminished. Their contributions are not roles that were “granted” or “bestowed”. They are rather hard-earned rights that are the results of unwavering dedication and perseverance. We are deeply concerned by recent statements that relegate women to a secondary position and signal a troubling lack of inclusiveness for women and WHRDs who have long advocated for justice and equality. Ubaida Arnaout, a representative of the Political Administration in Syria, recently proclaimed that women’s roles should be limited to traditional roles within the family,, while Aisha Al Debes, the Director of Women’s Affairs, implied that Syrian women are not empowered and women’s priorities should center on the home and family. These remarks starkly contradict the social and political leadership and sacrifices of Syrian women and reflect a troubling disregard for the vital contributions that women and WHRDs in Syria have made in the past and can make in building the future of the country. Syrian women have never waited for permission to act, and their voices and efforts must remain crucial to shaping Syria’s future.
We emphasize that inclusive and transformative justice and political processes require centering Syrian women, WHRDs, and civil society. Meaningful participation is not simply a matter of representation, but entails the active leadership of women in all stages of the processes, and especially women who are structurally excluded. It is an integral component for building a political system in Syria rooted in the rule of law, equality, and democracy. To overlook women’s rights would be to undermine the very principles for which millions of Syrians have sacrificed their lives.
We honor the courage, resilience, and leadership of Syrian women and WHRDs. As Syria rebuilds itself, we call on all stakeholders to ensure that women continue to play an integral role in the long road to justice and accountability, good governance, and sustainable peace and reconciliation.
Recommendations
To the International Community
- Actively support the inclusion of Syrian women and WHRDs in all transitional justice and political processes, ensuring meaningful participation and leadership opportunities.
- Provide financial and technical support to women-led civil society organizations and initiatives, and WHRDs, whose contributions are critical to peacebuilding and human rights advocacy.
- Pressure all parties to the conflict to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law, with a focus on protecting women and girls from violence, discrimination, and exploitation.
To Syrian Political Leadership and Transitional Bodies (Including De-Facto Powers)
- Actively support the meaningful participation and leadership of Syrian women and WHRDs, especially those who are structurally excluded, in all stages of decision-making processes, including constitutional drafting, transitional justice mechanisms, and national reconciliation efforts.
- Ensure gender transformative and survivor-centric justice and accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict, encompassing all perpetrators.
- Acknowledge and archive the efforts of Syrian women during the revolution and the pursuit of justice, incorporating their perspectives into a national narrative.
- End practices and policies that restrict women’s freedoms and/or limit their roles in all aspects of public life.
- Ensure the safety and protection of women activists, WHRDs, and their families, and respect their right to participate in social, economic, political, and cultural activities without fear of reprisals.
- Commit to fostering inclusive and pluralistic governance structures that respect the rights and contributions of women as equal stakeholders in the future of Syria.
To Syrian Civil Society
- Continue supporting the leadership and efforts of Syrian women and WHRDs, and advocate for their inclusion in all aspects of political and social rebuilding.
- Collaborate with international and regional organizations to amplify the needs and priorities of Syrian women and address the overlapping systematic barriers in the post-conflict context.
Organizations
1. Afghanistan Women’s Solidarity Movement (Afghanistan)
2. Ante for Rural Women Development (Syria)
3. Bayt Lamma – بيت لمة (Cultural Center and Philosophy Think Tank) (Lebanon)
4. Bihyriat Community Feminist Foundation (Sudan)
5. Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (Egypt)
6. Collaborative for Peace in Sudan
7. Defense for Rights and Freedom (Yemen)
8. FEMALE
9. Female Journalist Network (Sudan)
10. Frag Platform Team
11. Free Syrian National Coalition
12. Humanitarian Security Initiative (Sudan)
13. Iraqi Women Network (Iraq)
14. Mufraka Movement (Sudan)
15. My Right for Women Empowerment (Yemen)
16. Naseej Voluntary Team – Homs (Syria)
17. Noon Feminist Movement (Sudan)
18. Offline Girls Initiative
19. Patriot Education & Vocational Organisation (PEVO) (Afghanistan)
20. Peace Group For Development (Syria)
21. Peace Makers (Syria)
22. Qarar Foundation for Media and Development (Yemen)
23. Rawadari (Afghanistan)
24. Suriana Platform for Women (Syria)
25. Syrian Democratic Women Organization (Syria)
26. Syrian Team for Documenting Human Rights Violations
27. Takatoat (Jordan and Regional)
28. The Initiative to Eliminate Statelessness
29. The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
30. The Syrian Feminist Lobby
31. Tulip Foundation for Supporting Women and Children (Syria)
32. Women Peace Network (NorthEast Syria)
33. Women Platform (Syria)
34. Women’s Social and Psychological Counseling Center (Palestine)
35. Women’s Voice Team (Syria)
Individuals
1. Akram Mashhour – Professional
2. Alaa Amer – Journalist and Feminist Activist
3. Amal Charif – Founder and Managing Director of HalTek Association
4. Amal Naem – Syrian Lawyer, Member of the Syrian Feminist Political Movement, Legal Support Manager for Tulip Organization
5. Ansaf Nasr – Syrian Women Human Rights Defender, Member of Families for Freedom
6. Asma Khalifa – Libyan Feminist Activist
7. Azza Soliman – Egyptian Human Rights Lawyer
8. Bara’a Shaher Shuqair – Professional
9. Batoul Rateb Ayoush – Administrative Assistant, ERP System Manager
10. Diamah Najar – Professional
11. Dolly – Peace Activist, Peace Program Coordinator, Fael Platform Coordinator
12. Ebtisam AlSayegh – Bahraini Women Human Rights Defender
13. Entesar Alhadali – Yemeni Women Human Rights Defender
14. Hind Mahmoud Yousif – Secretary-General of Sudanese Women’s Health Organization
15. Huda AlSarari – Yemeni Women Human Rights Defender
16. Iman Abdulrahman – Director/Founder of Dialogue for Community Development, Palestine
17. Jamal Naffa – Political Activist, Syrian
18. Maha Abu Hamra – Assistant Professor at University: Education, Curriculum Design, Communication Skills, Citizenship
19. Nahda Moussa
20. Najwa Al-Tawil – Civil and Feminist Activist, Syrian
21. Negar Rashidi – Iranian Intersectional Feminist and Ethnic Activist
22. Nibal Al-Asrawi – Professional
23. Nuha Swaid – Feminist Activist and Film Critic
24. Qobol Al Absi – WHRD Yemen
25. Rajaa AlHaek – Former Red Crescent Worker
26. Raneem Alkal – Professional
27. Rasha AlSharif – Sudanese Feminist Activist
28. Rasha Altabshi – Feminist Journalist and Researcher
29. Razan AlMograbi – Writer and Women Human Rights Defender
30. Sabah AlHallak – Member of the Constitutional Committee and Advisory Council for Women
31. Samir Azar – Professional
32. Sarah Zahir Zaytoun – Professional
33. Sawssan Abou-Zahr – Lebanese Journalist/Editor/Translator
34. Sehnaz Kiymaz Bahceci – Independent Consultant on Gender Equality and Civil Society Inclusion, Turkey
35. Shadi Saab – Executive Director of Tulip Organization for Women and Children’s Support
36. Shaima Tantawi – Egyptian Researcher and Feminist Activist
37. Shams al-Din Hamou – Syrian Political Activist
38. Solafa Magdy – Exiled Egyptian Journalist
39. Soumayia Aljundi – Freelance Journalist/French Teacher
40. Souryana Shakour – Student
41. Suleiman Khudayr – Professional
42. Sumoud Mter – Palestinian Human Rights Activist/Program Manager for “Stop the Wall Campaign”
43. Waeda AlWahab – Intersectional Feminist Human Rights Activist
44. Weam Shawki Hasan – Sudanese Journalist
45. Yasmin Ainieh Ghazaleh – Syrian Women Human Rights Defender
46. Ziad Naddaf – Professional