Femena is deeply concerned by the formation of Syria’s transitional People’s Assembly through appointments made by the transitional authorities, a process that further concentrates decision-making power within the executive and raises serious concerns about democratic accountability, separation of powers, and inclusive governance.
The establishment of the People’s Assembly represents an important milestone in Syria’s political transition. However, the process through which it has been constituted falls short of the principles of transparency, participation, and representative governance that are essential to building a democratic future. Under the current transitional constitutional framework, the executive retains broad authority over the composition of the legislature, significantly limiting the independence of the Assembly and weakening the checks and balances necessary for accountable governance.
Women continue to be substantially underrepresented in Syria’s political institutions. Although the latest round of appointments increased the number of women in the Assembly, women comprise only around 10 percent of its members—far below the minimum threshold of 30 percent long advocated by Syrian women’s movements and recognized internationally as the minimum necessary for meaningful participation. Women’s representation cannot be treated as a symbolic gesture; it must ensure that women can participate fully and equally in shaping Syria’s political future.
Equally concerning is the absence of a transparent and inclusive process to ensure meaningful representation of Syria’s diverse ethnic, religious, and regional communities. Lasting peace and democratic legitimacy cannot be achieved while significant segments of Syrian society, including Kurdish, Druze, Alawite, Christian, Turkmen, Assyrian, Circassian, Armenian, and other communities, remain excluded from genuine participation in national decision-making. Representation must go beyond numerical inclusion and guarantee that all communities can participate safely, freely, and meaningfully in public life.
Femena reiterates that sustainable peace and democratic transition cannot be achieved without the equal, safe, and meaningful participation of women in all their diversity. Women human rights defenders, feminist organizations, and civil society actors have played a vital role throughout Syria’s conflict and transition and must be recognized as essential partners in shaping the country’s future.
Femena calls on the transitional authorities and the international community to:
- Ensure that all future political and constitutional processes are transparent, participatory, and accountable.
- Guarantee at least 30 percent representation of women across all legislative, executive, constitutional, and judicial bodies, as a minimum benchmark toward full equality.
- Establish mechanisms that ensure the meaningful participation of Syria’s diverse ethnic, religious, and regional communities in all political institutions.
- Protect and enable the full participation of women human rights defenders, feminist movements, and civil society organizations in decision-making processes, free from intimidation or discrimination.
- Align Syria’s political transition with international human rights standards, including the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and the commitments outlined in the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Syria’s future cannot be built through the concentration of power or the exclusion of those who have long been marginalized. A legitimate and sustainable transition requires institutions that are accountable to the people they serve and representative of Syria’s rich social, ethnic, and religious diversity. Only through genuine inclusion, equal participation, and respect for human rights can Syria move toward a peaceful, democratic, and just future for all.