Syrian Civil Society Conference on Women’s Rights to advance the Common Agenda for Combating Gender-Based Violence and Inclusive Peacebuilding
In line with its ongoing commitment to promoting meaningful feminist participation in shaping Syria’s future, the Syrian Feminist Lobby took part in the Syrian Civil Society Conference on Women’s Rights, titled “Implementing the Common Agenda to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls and Promote Inclusive Peacebuilding in Syria.”
The conference was held on 24–25 June 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, and was organized by the EuroMed Feminist Initiative, Mossawat, Dawlaty, and Zoom In.
In a panel discussion titled “Transitional Justice and Gender-Responsive Accountability,” Ms. Rima Fleihan, Executive Director of the Syrian Feminist Lobby, delivered an intervention underscoring that any transitional justice process in Syria must be gender-sensitive. She emphasized the need to address the compounded violations experienced by women — from arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, to sexual violence, forced displacement, and socio-economic and legal marginalization.She pointed out that women were not only victims but also agents of resistance and survival throughout the conflict, carrying the burden of livelihood, searching for truth, and enduring repeated violations without sufficient protection. Ms. Flihan stressed that gender justice is central to transitional justice, and that a sustainable peace cannot be achieved without ensuring women’s genuine participation, holding all parties accountable for all violations, providing redress for survivors, and integrating women’s rights issues into the constitution, legal frameworks, and justice institutions.
The session, moderated by Julia Jamal, a member of the Syrian Feminist Lobby, hosted Jumana Seif, legal expert, and Moutasem Syoufi, Executive Director of The Day After. It served as an open space to explore how transitional justice mechanisms can become more inclusive and representative, and how they can be linked to the outcomes of local dialogues and the Common Agenda, now seen as a collective civic roadmap for a more just and equitable Syria.
The conference also discussed the Gender-Responsive Reconstruction Guide as a strategic tool to promote public policies that guarantee women’s equal participation in shaping Syria’s future — its constitution, laws, and institutions.The conference concluded with a set of recommendations aimed at strengthening international commitments to support a gender-responsive reconstruction process in Syria and ensuring women’s full participation in all aspects of reconstruction and decision-making. The recommendations also addressed the need to foster an enabling environment for collaboration among organizations, networks, and Syrian women’s rights actors and decision-makers. These recommendations were presented at the closing session to the European Commission and other international stakeholders.
