A year after the Assad regime's fall in Syria, women only hold a few seats in the newly elected parliament. Activists decry this as male dominance over the country's political life and vow to fight for change.

Damascus

After the fall of the Assad regime, Syrian women such as Angela Khoury have sought to increase their political participation, running for seats in the country's new parliament. However, only six out of 119 parliamentary seats were won by women, highlighting ongoing barriers to female representation. 

Women's rights activists have also raised concerns about increased gender inequality and safety issues, including kidnappings amid sectarian violence. Despite these challenges, activists and candidates remain determined to build alliances and demand greater representation, emphasizing the importance of women's voices in Syria's future.

Women push for political power and equality in new Syria

When the Assad regime fell last year, Angela Khoury saw an opportunity for her and other women to claim their place in the political arena. When the change happened, I thought it was possible for New Syria to take shape. I thought I must contribute in some way to creating it. Angela is a dentist, and was among the dozens of women who entered the race for Syria's indirect parliamentary elections in September. Out of 119 seats in the main stage of the election, only six went to women. She was not one of them. There were a lot of discussions with my family about running. They kept asking, do you have the time, can you do it? I have commitments at my clinic, work and at the dentist association. There was a lot of back and forth, but in the end, I would say that women's presence on the electoral lists was accepted, but somehow rejected at the same time. Women didn't vote for women. And it's not just election results that have women concerned. Ever since the fall of the regime in Syria, women's rights activists like Mosna Dureid have warned against increased gender inequality in all aspects of life. Last year, Mosna came back from Canada, and along with other feminists, organized a conference on women's political participation in Syria. Women's participation has been timid, that's the least we can say about it. Syria is going through a phase where there is almost hostility towards women's participation. This should not discourage us, though. It should motivate us to continue. What's most important today is to build political alliances, to build political diversity, and to build a political organization based on feminist visions. Since the fall of the Assad regime, activists have also sounded the alarm on women's safety in Syria. Dozens of women have been kidnapped amid sectarian clashes. The transitional government has been strongly criticized for not taking a firm enough stance against these acts of violence. Angela says this adds yet another hurdle to female participation in politics. I'm involved in many women's groups. Some of them reject what is happening here and do not participate because they do not want to legitimize the reality. I fear that it's justified, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And there are people like me who are determined to be part of the decision-making process and the existing equation. Angela says she hasn't given up. In addition to the 119 seats in parliament, the transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharra, is set to appoint another 70. She wants to be one of them. Women shouldn't be like roses placed as decoration. We don't want to be decorations and that's why we demand numbers. When there are two or three women, we can create an alliance, which over time, leads to political action. Syria's women are not just struggling for parliamentary seats. Their fight is about survival, safety, and securing a future where their voices are heard.

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Washington

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Manhattan

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Tegucigalpa

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New York

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Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

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Caracas

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Canberra

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Brussels

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Los Angeles

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Tennessee

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California

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Pokrovsk

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Breakdown