Syrian activist warns against excluding women from decision-making

Speaking to ANHA Agency about the current reality in Syria, Harfoush highlighted the major challenges facing women and emphasized the necessity of their participation in shaping Syria’s future.

Harfoush explained that Syrian women are facing systematic barriers that prevent them from assuming leadership roles, effectively pushing them back to square one. She attributed this to entrenched social, cultural, and economic factors bound by traditions and gender biases.

She further pointed to the absence of structural support mechanisms in which women would play a central role, coupled with a lack of empowerment initiatives. Syrian women, she affirmed, require real opportunities to build their skills and develop leadership capacities, warning that depriving them of support and empowerment will remain a major obstacle to societal progress.

The activist argued that strengthening women’s roles through the promotion of young female leadership and broadening participation in governance structures at various levels would mark a positive first step.

Harfoush stressed that excluding women from Syria’s public sphere means the “erosion of their gains and rights,” particularly their engagement in public affairs and the strengthening of political and social awareness. She drew attention to the vital contributions Syrian women have made—whether in humanitarian relief, peacebuilding efforts, healthcare, education, or sustaining families under the most difficult conditions, including inside displacement camps.

She noted that Syrian women have already demonstrated their presence in multiple aspects of life, contributing both as peacebuilders and as actors in political decision-making. She affirmed that women are an indispensable part of social movements and should enjoy the freedom to make decisions within a civil and democratic state governed by the rule of law and safeguarding freedom of thought, religion, and belief. “This is why,” she stressed, “there is a pressing need for workshops on political, legal, and economic empowerment, alongside human rights awareness forums.”

On how to end the suffering of Syrian women, Harfoush underlined that restoring security, peace, the rule of law, and state institutions must be the first step toward ending the tragedy. At the same time, she warned that the continuation of conflict and lack of support will only exacerbate the plight of women, many of whom remain below the poverty line—raising the risk of kidnappings and sexual assaults, particularly amid the absence of any effective role by civil society organizations.

The activist also emphasized the role of men as natural partners in the process of change—through words, deeds, and actions—stating: “It is essential that women’s voices are heard and their vision protected in political processes and critical decisions.”

She went on to note that women have engaged in arduous work such as construction, agriculture, and painting, in addition to excelling in voluntary service thanks to their organizational skills and adaptability to scarce resources. This, she argued, strengthens their leadership presence and makes them role models to be emulated.

Concluding her remarks, field activist and academic Dr. Reem Jamal Harfoush affirmed that women volunteers and humanitarian activists constitute key agents of positive impact during crises, and that their active presence grants them greater strength, confidence, and resilience in facing challenges.

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ANHA