SYRIAN WOMEN IN POLITICAL TRANSITION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Viola Raheb in conversation with Kefah Ali Deeb and Hind Kabawat

SYRIAN WOMEN IN POLITICAL TRANSITION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Since the beginning of the peaceful protests in Syria, Syrian women have played a crucial role in activism and political engagement. However, they have also faced significant hardships, including imprisonment, torture, and displacement. Despite these challenges, Syrian women have actively built networks and movements, both within the country and in the diaspora, such as the Syrian Women’s Movement, established in France in 2017.

Following the first Syrian Women’s Conference in Damascus in January 2025, which marked a pivotal moment after the fall of the Assad regime, this panel will explore key questions•

• What opportunities and challenges lie ahead for Syrian women in this transitional period?
• How can women contribute to shaping a democratic Syria, both from within the country and from the diaspora?
• What role can the international community play in supporting women’s participation in Syria’s future?

Kefah Ali Deeb, artist and wirter

Hind Kabawat, former deputy head of the SNC Geneva and former member and head of the legal committee of the High negotiation committee; head of women organization working on peace building and head of program in George Mason University

Viola Raheb, scholar of religious studies lecturer, writer and Senior Fellow at BKF