Syrian Women activists: unity is key to protecting rights, gains

Amidst all integration processes on the political, military, social, and cultural levels, the women participation becomes an important factor which determines the seriousness and credibility of this integration process, especially in terms of safeguarding women's achievements and ensuring their effective participation in decision-making roles.

In this regard, Shukriya Youssef, lawyer and head of the Khutwat Women's Association, and Sabah Shabo, a member of the Coordination of Women in North and East of Syria, talked to ANHA's agency about women's conditions and upcoming challenges.

Shukriya Youssef stated: "The ceiling of freedom and equality for women in North and East Syria was high in both the work environment and in the social and political arenas. Now, however, in connection with discussions about the legal integration of our areas with the transitional government, as a lawyer, my point of view about the matter is: Do we have clear provisions that ensure our rights?"

She further explained: "Is the social and political situation in Syria able to give me now the opportunity to live the way I am living in North and East Syria? Is it able to let me share my experience in all Syria? The important matter now is: Will there be clear provisions ensuring our rights and also women’s quota in the new constitution of the parliamentary and political arenas? This is the basic thing upon which I am basing my views about integration."

Lawyer Shukriya Youssef continued: "We must be active if we are to achieve the integration we want. As women, associations, and organizations, we must form a strong lobby or movement through which we have a voice in the streets, clearly define our aspirations regarding participation laws, and work to adopt a quota law that guarantees women's representation reaches at least 30%."

At the conclusion of her remarks, Shukriya stressed the need to work within this framework as one unified front "so that we can become a force." She said: "We must also enshrine in the constitution provisions that guarantee equality and reject violence and hate speech against women. These must be our goals in the coming phase, whether in drafting constitutional provisions, new administrative laws, or amending the Personal Status Law. We must have a clear political position in this regard."

Preserving women's gains... An essential guarantee

For her part, Sabah Shabo, a member of the Women's Council Coordination in North and East Syria, said: "The situation of women at this stage is witnessing the marginalization of their role in decision-making centers. We have always advocated strengthening their presence, but women's aspirations, especially after the optimism surrounding the arrival of a new government and the fall of the former regime that marginalized women's issues, have once again collided with the same reality of marginalization and exclusion."

She added: "The most important thing today is for us, as women, to preserve the gains achieved by women during the revolution, and to demand their presence in decision-making centers so that they can achieve their demands and rights, as well as the rights of the people. One of our most important gains today is that the administration of the Qamishlo area is headed by a woman, and this has been a source of strength for us to continue demanding our rights."

Sabah pointed out that the fundamental guarantee lies in women's presence in decision-making centers and their demand for their rights in order to maintain their presence, most importantly through representation in parliament. She explained that, as women's movements, they have always demanded that women's presence be enshrined in constitutional principles.

Sabah Shabo concluded her remarks by saying: "Syrian women have suffered greatly throughout the crisis, and they still face major challenges, but they have proven that they are strong and resilient and have been able, through their determination, to overcome that phase. When we stand hand in hand, we strengthen and support one another so that we can achieve what we want."

ANHA