Jiyan Hassan discusses women’s eights in new Syria

In an exclusive interview with ANHA agency, Jiyan Hassan, a member of the Integration Committee in Hasakah Governorate, revealed details of the ongoing discussions with government delegations regarding women’s issues, including women’s demands, the government’s responses, the obstacles hindering these talks, and the impact of marginalization policies on Syria’s future.

At the beginning of her remarks, Jiyan congratulated the Kurdish people on the qualification of Amedspor to the Turkish Super League.

Demands

Jiyan Hassan stated that the demands and key points raised during meetings with delegations from the interim government focus on women’s rights. She explained that their demands include establishing a ministry dedicated to women within the government structure. She noted that although the government consists of 21 ministries, there is no ministry specifically for women. She also stressed the need to guarantee women’s rights in the constitution, which should be drafted with women’s participation, and to ensure women’s representation in parliament and state institutions.

She pointed out that there had previously been a women’s office within the government, but its activities were later frozen because it was insufficient in representing and protecting Syrian women’s rights.

She added that the interim government initially attempted to apply an Afghanistan-style model in Syria, but failed due to the struggle of Syrian women across all provinces. She also referred to attempts to target educated and qualified women in Damascus and other governorates, stressing that the government lacks a mindset that grants women a proper place in institutions and secures their rights in the constitution.

Jiyan said they are currently trying to empower women to have a place in every ministry, noting that the Ministry of Social Affairs does not adequately fulfill women’s rights because it is mainly concerned with society and family affairs.

She explained that they question government delegations coming from Damascus about the absence of women within those delegations. According to her, the delegations respond that they do not want anything specifically under the name of women, arguing that women can already take positions within ministries and other institutions. However, she stressed that merely granting women jobs within ministries without establishing dedicated women’s bodies is insufficient, especially after 14 years of crisis.

She emphasized that women’s struggle continues because women remain excluded from decision-making centers despite their significant efforts and achievements, which qualify them to represent women and speak on their behalf within a dedicated ministry.

Jiyan Hassan stressed the importance of preserving women’s unique status alongside guaranteeing their constitutional rights, saying: “The patriarchal mentality and the state have always underestimated women.”

She also noted that the women’s issue within the integration process is essential for them, especially in al-Hasakah Governorate because of its unique character, and that it is continuously discussed with delegations from the interim government. She said: “There are two issues we will never compromise on: securing women’s status and rights within the government, and preserving the unique identity of the Kurdish regions in Jazira.”

She highlighted that women in Rojava Kurdistan led the revolution and worked in various fields, leaving their own mark and identity. They played important roles in political, social, diplomatic, and military spheres, and succeeded in establishing the Women’s Protection Units, which gained global recognition due to the needs and circumstances of the period.

Jiyan Hassan added that during the integration process and discussions, they emphasize that integration means “state plus democracy,” and therefore women must have a status worthy of their role.

Government Response

On the reaction of government delegations to these demands, and whether there are points of agreement or outright rejection of gender equality, Jiyan Hassan noted that the delegations use flexible diplomatic language. They neither directly reject the demands nor fully accept them at the same time.

She added that the government’s response is that women are already present everywhere and there is no need for such demands. According to her, they argue that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has already granted women excessive rights, such as the co-chair system, and that the government sees no need for this. She said: “It is only talk; there is nothing on the ground.”

Jiyan stressed that they will continue their struggle until women’s rights are guaranteed in the constitution, and that women in Hasakah must lead this struggle, even if it begins with a women’s branch or office, eventually reaching the goal of establishing a ministry dedicated to women.

Obstacles

O n the main obstacles they face in dialogue with the interim government on women’s issues, she noted that the government insists there is no need for these demands because women have already been granted their rights. She explained that the government views women’s issues and rights from a narrow perspective limited to family, education, marriage, childbirth, and living within the home. She said: “For them, these rights are already too much for women.”

She pointed out that when the delegation is confronted with the fact that women can do everything and are capable of taking on all responsibilities, they cannot deny or escape the argument. While they theoretically accept this reality, they refuse to apply it in practice, still viewing women as secondary figures whose role is limited to serving needs and living within narrow boundaries.

Jiyan Hassan added that the interim government’s mentality toward women dates back five thousand years, where women are viewed as dependent on men and not in need of work outside the home because men are expected to provide for them. Therefore, they see no need for women to have a role outside the household.

However, she explained that interim government delegations visiting the region often express surprise that most leaders and cadres are women, and that discussions with them increase this sense of surprise.

She noted that these delegations witness the diversity and competence of women holding decision-making positions in municipalities, water, energy, agriculture, language, community affairs, and diplomatic work in al-Hasakah Governorate. She added that such representation is absent in many other Syrian governorates, forcing the government delegation to listen to and engage with them.

Jiyan believes there is still a gap between the government and al-Hasakah regarding women’s issues, but that this gap will shrink through integration, women’s efforts, and their continued struggle. She said: “Women here are organized and capable of struggling without dissolving their identity,” expressing her belief that women will lead future Syria toward change and development.

Regarding the constitutional declaration, she pointed out that Syria still does not have a finalized constitution, and that any new constitution must guarantee women’s rights. She stressed that the current draft does not represent women or provide a genuine model, adding that the current government is temporary and that state structures can still be changed.

She emphasized the necessity of guaranteeing women’s rights in the constitution and giving women a role and status in all state institutions to protect their achievements, noting that women who defended the homeland are also capable of governing it in different fields.

She also pointed out that the current draft does not only fail to represent women, but also fails to represent Syria’s components, nationalities, and diversity, especially the Kurdish people. She stressed the need to guarantee both women’s rights and Kurdish rights as partners in the new constitution.

She noted that women’s suffering is the same in Damascus, Hasakah, As-Suwayda, the Coast region, Raqqa, Derik, and Qamishlo, saying there is no home in Syria that has not lost a mother or a loved one.

She stressed that the interim government must be democratic in order to accommodate millions of refugees and skilled people, and that the constitution must represent all Syrians.

Jiyan Hassan said the constitution must represent her both as a Syrian and as a Kurd, noting that the Kurdish people have never received their rights in previous constitutions and must become partners in the state.

She concluded by noting that Kurdish women have suffered double discrimination — both as Kurds and as women — and that Kurds seek a democratic state based on pluralism. She emphasized that women’s struggle has continued for hundreds of years and will continue to evolve through democratic means that express women’s demands without causing harm.

Jiyan Hassan stressed the necessity of ensuring women’s representation in the government at a rate between 40% and 50% in order to guarantee genuine participation, stating that a 20% quota is insufficient.

Absence of Women in Appointments

Jiyan Hassan also addressed the absence of women in the recent appointments within service directorates in Al-Hasakah, emphasizing their rejection of this approach. She noted that the first ministry to enter the governorate was the Ministry of Health, which announced appointment results publicly through the media.

She explained that the mechanism for appointing directors involves submitting three names to Damascus, from which one candidate is selected. According to her, the selection usually favors men, which she described as a reflection of a “patriarchal mentality.”

She added that ongoing discussions are taking place between Hasakah Governorate and the interim government to establish a new mechanism for future appointments, ensuring that decisions are not imposed from above. She stressed that efforts are underway to change the nomination process and submission of names in order to avoid repeating the same issue.

Jiyan also pointed out that the health sector includes many qualified female professionals, with women already managing some institutions under the co-chair system. She confirmed that the internal system would remain unchanged and stressed their rejection of ministries imposing appointments on the governorate. She added that the coming period would witness broader discussions regarding the appointment of women directors in the service departments.

Responding to the government’s justifications for rejecting female candidates, Jiyan explained that the government does not provide clear reasons despite the availability of highly qualified women at various professional levels. She stated that patriarchal thinking is the main factor behind the preference for men.

She emphasized that women in the region are capable of managing many institutions and that their role in future appointments cannot be ignored. She also stressed the need to increase women’s representation in line with their role and sacrifices within society.

Repercussions

Jiyan believes that excluding women from decision-making positions will prevent the building of a stable democratic Syria and will lead to chaos, stressing that women are a fundamental element in building peace.

In conclusion, the member of the Integration Committee in Hasakah affirmed that guaranteeing women’s rights would restore Syria to its essence based on diversity, adding that women’s leadership could turn Syria into a model for the Middle East.

ANHA