Progress Amid Resistance

SYRIA 465F The government should revoke the state of emergency and upholdall constitutional rights, including those granted to women underArticle 45.AUTONOMY, SECURITY, AND FREEDOM OF THE PERSONThe single greatest legal obstacle to gender equality remains the personalstatus law, which limits women’s autonomy in matters such as marriageand divorce. The prevalence of domestic violence in Syrian society, andthe permissive attitude toward so-called honor killings in some areas, meanthat women also face threats to their physical security. The government hasbegun to acknowledge the need to amend the laws and alter deep-rootedsocietal attitudes toward these issues, and in 2009 it took steps to stiffenthe penalties for honor killings, but women have yet to feel change in theirday-to-day lives.Syria does not have an official religion, and freedom of worship is protectedunder Article 35 of the constitution. However, Article 3 stipulatesthat all legislation derives from Shari‘a and that the president must practiceIslam. The population is predominantly Sunni Muslim, but there arelarge communities of Alawites (a minority Muslim sect), Christians, andDruze, as well as a small number of Jews. The personal status and familyissues of religious minorities are governed by their own sectarian laws.Muslim women are prohibited from marrying non-Muslim men underArticle 48(2) of the personal status law, while Muslim men face no suchrestriction.Women’s ability to travel and move freely is subject to legal and socialre strictions. Although Article 33 of the constitution protects freedom ofmovement within Syria for all citizens, it is silent regarding internationaltravel. Consequently, husbands may prevent their wives from leaving thecountry with their children, though women on their own are able to obtaina passport and leave without their husbands’ permission. 16 In addition, thestate often imposes international travel bans on political and human rightsactivists in an effort to silence expressions of dissent overseas. Women constituted10 percent of more than 400 activists under travel bans as of May2009. 17 Married women face other restrictions on their freedom of movementunder the personal status law. Specifically, a disobedient wife is notentitled to financial support from her husband for the duration of her disobedience,which can be broadly defined to include leaving the conjugal