Calls to secure women’s rights in new Syria

The Women’s Office of the SDC held a dialogue seminar today at its headquarters in Hasakah city under the title “Democratic Integration,” with the participation of activists, researchers in political and social affairs, and human rights advocates.

Participants discussed the reality of Syrian women amid ongoing political transformations, particularly in the context of discussions surrounding integration between the Autonomous Administration and the Interim Government.

The seminar, moderated by Rasha Hussein, an administrator at the Women’s Office of the SDC, and Avin Mohammed, a member of the Relations Office, was based on the concept of “integration” as an alternative model to traditional approaches rooted in uniformity and exclusion.

Speakers stressed that this concept is grounded in the protection and respect of diverse identities, rather than their elimination or marginalization, and instead promotes the construction of a shared life based on diversity.

They further emphasized that this model is built upon free will, freedom, and equality, where societal unity is not imposed from above but developed from the grassroots through the participation of all its components.

The speakers highlighted the challenges facing Syrian women, noting the continued marginalization and lack of acceptance of their full role in public life, despite their proven active presence throughout years of crisis, whether in crisis management or in maintaining social cohesion.

They affirmed that Syrian women have been at the forefront of resilience and resistance, and that any genuine discussion of integration cannot be complete without recognizing their role as essential partners in building society.

In this context, participants called for activating women’s role in the political process by ensuring their genuine inclusion in institutions, allocating seats for them in parliaments, and guaranteeing their right to vote and hold public office.

They also stressed the importance of women’s representation in decision-making centers, underscoring their capability in leadership and governance, and noting that the success of any democratic project in Syria remains dependent on their effective participation without exclusion.

The seminar also addressed the issue of integration between the Autonomous Administration and the Interim Government in Syria, with participants noting that this process remains incomplete due to the continued exclusion of women, emphasizing that any integration process that fails to consider women’s rights and participation remains deficient.

Some speakers criticized what they described as the exclusion of women’s rights in certain temporary constitutional frameworks, which they argued do not reflect women’s aspirations nor guarantee their rights fairly.

Participants affirmed that the responsibility for defending women’s rights does not rest solely on institutions but also on women themselves, through efforts to enshrine these rights in any future constitution and to ensure fair representation across political and legal structures.

They also called for the establishment of a women’s rights body dedicated to defending women’s issues and working toward the explicit inclusion of their rights in the constitution.

The seminar witnessed extensive discussions on ways to transform the concept of integration from a theoretical framework into practical application, through the development of participatory mechanisms that ensure representation for all groups, foremost among them women. Participants stressed that building a democratic society is not achieved solely through laws, but also requires a shift in societal culture, which still hinders women’s participation.

In conclusion, participants affirmed that democratic integration is not merely a policy but an ongoing process of rebuilding society on the foundations of pluralism and partnership. Achieving it in practice begins with recognizing women as equal partners and ensuring their active participation across all spheres of life, contributing to the construction of a more just and stable society.

A-H 

ANHA