future now”

Executive summary
Empowerment for peace
Like any civil society activism in Syria prior to
2011, women activism either suffered from
a tightly held state patronage or, for the few
organizations and activists that managed to
remain rather independent, a heavy monitoring.
It was not until 2011, with the outbreak of the
protests against the Syrian regime, that civil society,
including old and new women civil activism, started to
grow and diversify.
The increased militarization and ever-escalating violence
in the country have, however, greatly diminished
the scope of work of many of these newly emerged
women civil society organizations and activists. Faced
with this increased marginalization of their activism,
many of them started to design and implement interventions
to reduce the violence, combat armament, and
promote a culture of nonviolence.
Syrian women in Ghouta demonstrating against the extremist armed
group Jayesh al-Islam (Army of Islam).
Photo: Siraj press
The facts and opinions presented in this study derive
from questionnaires answered by 49 women civil society
groups, interviews with 35 prominent women leaders,
and focus group discussions with about 100 women
activists in Syria. The research covers a significant
percentage of all the Syrian territories. However due
to security reasons some areas, like Homs, Hama and
Raqqa, could not be reached and are consequently not
represented.
Peacebuilding for equal rights
The study shows that most of the women activists
define peacebuilding as a process, which starts with
an immediate ceasefire and inclusive negotiations to
reach a political solution, and results in justice and
equal rights for all citizens of Syria. The activists also
perceived a direct link between a strong civil society
and peacebuilding in Syria because they saw civil society
as the only true representative of the people – in
comparison to political parties and international actors
that they believed were only pursuing their own narrow
interests.
Many of the women activists had become active in
peacebuilding work, because of personal experiences of
discrimination or after watching others being subjected
to oppression by the state. They also expressed that
the deteriorating situation in the country had made
them feel obliged to act. Most of the women activists
Four women in Deir Ezzor, participating in the Planet Syria campaign.
The campaign aims to engage people around the world in solidarity to
stop the violence and extremism in Syria.
Photo: Planet Syria
Women discussing their roles, rights and responsibilities at the first
Women Conference in Ghouta in 2015. Photo: Hurras Network
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