Progress Amid Resistance

SYRIA 479RecommendationsF The government should allow civil society organizations and women’srights groups in particular to operate independently, in part by removingexisting restrictions on registration and on the holding of meetingsand demonstrations.F The government should set aside public funds to support the campaignsof independent female candidates, with the aim of increasingwomen’s representation in the national parliament and local councils.F Political parties should phase in quotas for women in the rank and fileas well as in leadership positions, using training programs and otherincentives to attract new members.F The government should fulfill existing goals with respect to female representationin the judiciary and executive branch entities, and raise itstargets to match women’s presence in the general population.F The government should enact legislation that specifically protects freeonline expression as well as unrestricted access to the Internet and othernew information technologies. It should devote additional resources tothe improvement of the telecommunications infrastructure.SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTSCustomary practices and attitudes dominate women’s lives in Syria, oftenat the expense of the law of the land. 88 Women are treated as subordinateto men in the highly patriarchal culture, and social customs placegender-based restrictions on their rights. It is widely believed that the mostappropriate sphere for women is the home and the family, while the widerworld and the sphere of public interaction is reserved for men. However,there are signs that this is changing as women gain more access to education,participate in the workforce in larger numbers, and make importantcontributions to the family income amid difficult economic conditions.While women are expected by society to exhibit a traditionally “feminine”personality, which includes submissiveness and adherence to patriarchalcustoms, older women often enjoy considerable influence over malefamily members within the household and in private settings. For example,a mother can pressure her sons to get married, and can choose their bridesfor them. There are no formal restrictions on women’s dress, but womenfrom conservative families may be obliged to wear hijab (head covering).