Women played key roles in Syria’s revolution. Now they’ve been pushed to the margins

The end of the oppressive Assad regime^[1] in Syria in late 2024 has been broadly welcomed on the global stage – underscored by the fact the United States and European Union have now lifted sanctions^[2] against the country.

However, women have been marginalised^[3] by Syria’s new leadership. That’s a problem for Syrian women, of course, but it also puts at risk prospects for sustainable peace^[4] in Syria.

A growing body of research, including^[5] our^[6] own^[7], shows a direct correlation between gender equality and peace^[8].

Syria now stands at a crossroads. Will it ensure women’s meaningful participation and follow a path to peace? Or will things head in the other direction?

This is more urgent than ever. Failure to grapple with women’s rights in Syria risks plunging the nation further into extremist violence^[9].

Women excluded both before and after Assad’s rule

After decades in power, the harsh Assad regime was overthrown late last year by rebels led by Sunni Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

But women – who were marginalised politically and economically under Assad – continue to be systematically excluded from decision-making in the new government.

This is even though women played an essential role in the Syrian revolution. They organised protests and advocated for rights^[10] (often at great personal risk).

They endured sacrifices^[11] such as imprisonment, torture, disappearance^[12] and displacement^[13].

Yet, only one woman^[14] was appointed to Syria’s immediate post-Assad caretaker government. She didn’t get a ministerial title.

The caretaker government spokesman reportedly suggested women’s “biological and physiological nature^[15]” makes them unsuitable for certain government roles.

Reports allege the man initially appointed as Syria’s new minister of justice previously oversaw executions of women^[16] accused of being sex workers.

Some Syrian activists are concerned^[17] Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will enforce a gendered and conservative^[18] interpretation of Islamic law, which prevailed in its previous stronghold of Idlib (a city in northwestern Syria).

Limited roles for women

A key moment came when the new Syrian government held a “national dialogue conference” earlier this year. This conference was to establish a forward-looking “political identity” for Syria.

Of the seven-member conference preparatory committee^[19], only two were women.

There was no representation on the preparatory committee from several of Syria’s diverse communities, including Kurdish, Alawite and Druze groups.

Most members had strong ties with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or other Islamist factions.

About 200^[20] of the 1,000 delegates^[21] at the conference were women. However, their input in legislative and security committees was minimal^[22].

Only one of 18 conference recommendations^[23] referred (in a limited way) to women.

Following the national dialogue conference, new Syrian President Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa signed into force a constitutional declaration that set a five-year transition period and established the interim government.

Senior figures in the new government described^[24] the declaration as guaranteeing women’s political and economic rights.

Yet only one^[25] of Syria’s 23 ministers is a woman: Hind Kabawat^[26], appointed as minister of social affairs and labour. This “soft” portfolio is commonly associated with gendered expectations around care and welfare.

Key ministries were allocated to al-Sharaa’s all-male long-time comrades^[27] from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s base in Idlib.