Dialogue Session: “Gender-Sensitive Transitional Justice in Syria”

Session Info:

Session Date: July 19
Duration: 3 hours
Organizers: “Marie” Organization, the Women’s Forum, in collaboration with the Arab Council and “Haqqi” Foundation.
Attendees: Lawyers, journalists, activists, members of the Women’s Empowerment Office at Damascus University, former female detainees, and Syrian and Palestinian political activists.

Session Objectives:

To discuss ways to integrate a gender perspective into Syrian transitional justice, focusing on:

• Protecting female survivors of violations (especially sexual violence).
• Ensuring women’s representation in justice mechanisms and security/judicial institutions.
• Addressing legal and societal exclusion of women..

Key Themes:

• Violations Against Women in the Syrian Conflict:
  
  • Multiple forms of violence: detention, torture, sexual violence, deprivation of nationality, forced marriage.
  • Lack of specialized protection mechanisms for survivors and inadequate psychological/legal support.
  • Need for confidential documentation of violations with professional psychological support.

• Institutional and Legal Reform:
  
  • Reform discriminatory laws (e.g., nationality, personal status, and penal codes).
  • Increase women’s representation in judicial and security sectors (e.g., police stations, investigations—not limited to women’s prisons).
  • Address societal barriers preventing women’s engagement in security fields (as observed in Al-Bab city).
  • Reintegrate women dismissed due to their participation in the revolution, ensuring their right to return to jobs after the regime’s fall.

• Gender-Sensitive Transitional Justice Mechanisms:
  
  • Accountability: Prosecute war crimes, especially sexual violence, with guaranteed participation of female judges/lawyers.
  • Truth-seeking: Involve women in documentation committees and highlight their stories as part of historical narratives.
  • Reparations:
    • Financial and material compensation for survivors (e.g., rebuilding displaced women’s homes, restoring civil documents).
    • Psychological and economic support programs, especially for rape survivors and families of the missing.
  • Memorialization: Name public spaces after female victims of the conflict.
  • Institutional Reform: Ensure women’s inclusion in public institutions.

• Societal Challenges:
  
  • Social stigma faced by former detainees and survivors of sexual violence.
  • Misuse of religion to justify violations of women’s rights.
  • Lack of confidence among women in claiming their rights (highlighting the need for legal awareness).

Recommendations:

• Urgent legal reforms: Amend discriminatory laws, especially nationality and personal status laws.
• Professional empowerment: Increase women’s representation in leadership roles (judiciary, security, politics).
• Comprehensive protection programs: Establish specialized centers for survivors with legal/psychological support.
• Women’s participation in decision-making: Ensure their involvement in designing/implementing transitional justice mechanisms.
• Awareness campaigns: Combat societal violence and change stereotypes.

Conclusion:

The session emphasized that achieving justice in Syria requires a feminist justice that recognizes the specificity of gender-based violations and ensures women’s central role in peacebuilding.

“There is no transitional justice without women’s participation.”