Women in the Syrian revolution

The beginning of the Syrian revolution in March 2011 provided a window of opportunity for change in women’s rights. But in the last 31 months, women’s issues have been cast aside, with geopolitics and violence taking center stage. Friday, the United States Institute of Peace hosted a discussion on the role of women in the Syrian revolution.

Moderator Steven Heydemann set the stage for the four activists on the panel. He said there is a distinct set of narratives that have dominated the conflict in Syria. The first three—the narrative of geopolitics, the narrative of the war on the ground, and the narrative of the humanitarian crisis—are what have been most commonly depicted in the Western media. The fourth narrative, the role of women in the revolution, is a major aspect of the conflict that is largely unknown outside of Syria.

Over the last 31 months, Syrian women have gained a strong feeling of independence. Before the uprising, the pressure to conform to Syrian social norms kept women quiet on social and political issues. Oula Ramadan of the Syrian Women’s Network said that the revolution empowered women.  The unrest gave them a chance to transform Syrian life. Women have been forced to take on new responsibilities—such as fighting, community leadership, and supporting their families. Women are finally able to increase their influence on the neighborhood, town, and city levels. But it remains to be seen if they can break through the historic Syrian social norms and gain representation in national negotiations on the future of their country.

Bassma Kodmani of the Arab Reform Initiative and the Syrian Women’s Network cast a dismal shadow on the current state of Syria. The Syrian people feel they are in a very dark tunnel that is only getting darker, and for now there is no indication that there is a light at its end. That light at the end of the tunnel could very well become visible if the women of Syria are given the chance to voice their opinions at the national level. But, the panelists stressed that in Syria’s current state of widespread and brutal violence, it is almost impossible to reach the negotiating table.

Manal Omar of the USIP discussed five major issues for women’s rights in Syria:

• There is a general understanding that women should be at the negotiating table, but they are too exhausted to reach it.
• The “not-now” debate turns into never. Women’s issues are continuously cast aside, making it more difficult to include women in the national political discussion once Syria stabilizes.
• Women’s rights are not a nice thing to talk about. Women in Syria are working on some of the most difficult issues that many people consider taboo.
• Gender is not a strong enough force. In many instances, women align with their political ideals before they side with their gender group. Many of them are Syrians before they are women.
• They need to watch out for “quick wins.” The achievement of easy goals can make it difficult to address deep-rooted issues. The future of women in Syria will also depend on men becoming champions of women’s rights.

Sabah Alhallak, a women’s rights activist, said Syria’s future must be based on democratic principles and foster equality among all people, especially women.  They are more disadvantaged than any other group in Syria. Lawlessness has caused the incidence of sexual violence to skyrocket. Women are increasingly vulnerable on the streets, even as they work hard towards the greater goal of creating a democratic Syrian state. Conflict resolution must reach farther than the geopolitical issues that lie on the surface of the Syrian revolution. From the office of President Bashar al-Assad to rural towns ravaged by the conflict, there is a dire need for conflict resolution. Civil society groups give the Syrian people much hope for the future. The key to rebuilding Syria is a partnership between civil society and the key actors on the ground, many of whom are women.