Syrian women’s rights advocates affirm their commitment to securing their rights constitutionally

Syrian activists and rights advocates spoke to ANHA agency about the future of Syrian women, highlighting the most significant challenges they currently face, while emphasizing their continued struggle against any obstacles that hinder their participation in decision-making processes and governance.

High competence

In this context, Jacqueline Boutros Hanno, a member of the Assyrian Democratic Party and a feminist activist, stated that Syrian women today are marginalized and systematically excluded, explaining that what is happening constitutes a real injustice against them on the ground.

She noted that the interim government does not greet women and lowers its gaze when seeing a woman, saying: “This is a real injustice against women.” She stressed the necessity for Syrian women to play a fundamental and active role in drafting the new constitution in a way that guarantees the entrenchment of their rights within it.

Jacqueline emphasized the importance of women’s presence within the structure of the Syrian state, particularly in decision-making positions, adding that this is a natural right and role for women after a long struggle to obtain their rights.

She pointed out that consolidating women’s rights in the constitution is the only guarantee for those rights and for their struggle, enabling them to access decision-making positions. She also noted that Syrian women possess high levels of competence in various fields, from which the current government could benefit.

Gap between official discourse and reality

Jacqueline Hanno highlighted that one of the most prominent obstacles facing women today is the fear experienced by most Syrian women regarding their future under the interim government, especially given the gap between official discourse and reality.

She affirmed that there are no real guarantees provided by the interim government, stressing that the only guarantor for women is women themselves, by intensifying their struggle collectively to secure their rights within the constitution.

She added that enshrining their rights in the constitution is an urgent necessity to protect them from exclusion, marginalization, and discrimination.

A new constitution that grants women their rights

She also pointed out that addressing women’s rights in Syria requires a new constitution that guarantees these rights, ensures effective political participation, and allocates a quota for women in parliament and institutions.

She stated that the current status of women in the interim government does not match the level of sacrifices made by Syrian women over years and decades of struggle and resistance.

For her part, legal expert Bashira Jamal al-Din considered that the role of women under the interim government is very weak and does not reflect the status of Syrian women with their high competencies.

Bashira agreed with Jacqueline that the only real guarantee of women’s rights is their enshrinement in a constitution that defines and regulates their presence in political and social life and in decision-making positions.

Participation in the constitution-drafting process

Regarding constitutional mechanisms to guarantee rights, Bashira explained that women’s committees and bodies must be formed as part of the constitution-drafting committees, noting that women themselves should be responsible for writing their rights into the constitution, rather than men attempting to take on these tasks.

She pointed to the challenges facing Syrian women in obtaining their rights, including the lack of acceptance of women in decision-making positions within a predominantly patriarchal society, in addition to a lack of trust in women’s capabilities in such roles.

She noted that guaranteeing women’s rights in the constitution could help address the problem of patriarchal mentality in society and reduce its intensity, enabling women to perform their roles more effectively.

Bashira is also believed that the Islamic background of the interim government negatively affects the role of women, which has been evident in practice through governing the country with a single color, ideology, and form, and representing women with only one woman.

Commitment to continuing the struggle

She added that the most prominent difficulties and risks threatening the future of women at the current stage include silencing their voices and preventing them from being heard both inside and outside Syria. She concluded by affirming that they will continue their struggle until the end to secure and protect their rights.

Meanwhile, feminist activist Avin Mohammad focused on the status women enjoyed under the Autonomous Administration, which granted them real opportunities to perform their roles effectively through a fixed quota of 50% in institutions and in the military field under a specific system.

Avin expressed concern about changes to the status of women in Rojava following integration with the interim government, where women’s representation does not exceed 1%, within the framework of implementing the January 29 agreement. She affirmed their rejection of any attempt to alter the status of women in Rojava and their refusal to accept reduced representation for women.

ANHA