Systematic exclusion of women from politics, economy, security, education

Syrian women face systematic exclusion, marginalization and denial of their role across political, administrative, educational and economic spheres. Meanwhile, women continue to struggle against these policies to protect their achievements and their role as partners in building a new Syria, a role they have a natural right to assume.

This exclusion comes after 14 years of struggle and resistance by Syrian women, who have endured displacement and forced migration. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) documented the deaths of around 648 women under various circumstances, including sectarian killings, shelling and clashes, from late 2024 through August 2026.

Syrian women activists and politicians have warned of declining female representation and participation in institutions and administrations. They stressed that these measures are being taken without regard for women’s wishes or their role in the Syrian revolution, posing a serious threat to their future.

Reports and indicators for 2026 reveal the following figures:

- Women account for no more than 10.48% of Syria’s parliament, with 22 female members out of a total of 210, despite the electoral system stipulating a target of at least 20% female representation.

- Women’s representation in senior decision-making positions at the central, local and trade union levels stands at approximately 5.56%.

- Women hold approximately 1.33% of senior positions, including ministerial, director-level and leadership posts nationwide. Only one woman heads a ministry in Syria, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, even though women make up around 50% of the total population.

In the education sector, the Ministry of Higher Education has barred women from enrolling in certain university programs, restricting admission to men. These include the Technical Media Institutes’ directing department, the Technical Institute of Oil and Gas, the Technical Railway Institute, as well as humanities and administrative colleges and military and scientific colleges and institutes.

In the education sector, remarks by parliamentarian Ibrahim al-Zoubi during a hearing with Education Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman Turko sparked widespread controversy and criticism. Al-Zoubi criticized the high proportion of female teachers compared with male teachers, describing the trend as the “feminization of education.” He claimed that the large number of women in schools negatively affects students’ personalities and undermines school authority. Women’s groups viewed the remarks as reinforcing regressive stereotypes.

Meanwhile, the fate of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) remains unclear, despite their sacrifices in fighting ISIS mercenaries, their contribution to liberating Syrian territory and their efforts to safeguard women’s achievements during the July 19 Revolution, which was led by women, particularly Kurdish women.

Activists and specialists believe that the persistence of a mindset seeking to confine women to the home or assign them merely a token role is wholly incompatible with the scale of their sacrifices. They warned that reinforcing such stereotypes would deepen the gender gap and lead to a closed society that marginalizes one side in favor of the other. They called on women to intensify their struggle and renew their determination to secure their rights and contribute to rebuilding their country.

A-H

ANHA