HRW: Syria’s restrictions limit women’s military participation

Human Rights Watch said the transitional government refused last August to allow the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) to join the army while preserving their distinct identity, describing the decision as a restriction on women’s participation in military and security institutions.

The organization linked the decision to restrictions on women’s admission to most programs at the Defense and Security universities established by the transitional government. It said these policies effectively deny women access to career paths in the army and security services.

The concerns were outlined in a report warning of the consequences of restrictions on women’s admission to most programs at Syria’s Defense and Security universities. The organization said these restrictions reinforce discrimination and limit women’s participation in state institutions during the transitional period.

The organization said admission requirements announced by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research on September 30 reserve most programs at the National University of Defense Sciences for men. Meanwhile, women at the Syrian University of Security Sciences are limited to studying cybersecurity, with the application deadline approaching on October 19.

Human Rights Watch explained that these restrictions deny women access to key training and employment pathways in the army, security services, and government technical institutes specializing in oil and gas and railways. They also exclude women from the radio and television directing department at the Technical Institute of Media at Idlib University, which applies male-only admission rules.

The organization said these measures contradict guarantees of equality and women’s rights to education and work under Syria’s Constitutional Declaration, as well as the country’s obligations under international conventions, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

It also warned that excluding women from military and security institutions forms part of a broader pattern of declining female participation in public institutions. It pointed to women’s underrepresentation in the People’s Assembly and restrictions on access to certain public-sector jobs.

Human Rights Watch called on the transitional authorities to repeal gender-based restrictions and ensure women’s equal participation in public, military, and security institutions.

ANHA