Focus
Peacebuilding in Syria
Empowering Syrian women, youth, and marginalised groups, and increasing their participation in public and political life.
Years active: 2020-2023
The overarching goal of programme is to increase the participation of Syrian women, youth, and marginalised groups in public and political life as positive change agents and promoters of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society that respects the rights of all people. The aim is to create a sustainable foundation for post-conflict peacebuilding, coexistence, and democratic governance in Syria.
This will be achieved through three key objectives:
- Strengthen the capacity of Syrian women, youth, and marginalised groups, including both existing and aspiring leaders, to participate in local decision-making institutions and processes;
- Support women, youth, and marginalised group-led advocacy to local government authorities and enhanced citizen input into decision-making processes;
- Amplify women, youth, and marginalised groups’ voices and raise the profile of their leaders in decision-making institutions and processes.
Latest Reports
Civil Defence Risk All to Save Civilians
“It's a great blessing when we're able to save a child. We forget all the fatigue, exhaustion, and disaster.”
Down’s Syndrome Centre Hosts IDPs
Families displaced by the earthquake find shelter at special school.
Displaced by the Earthquake
Idlib family describes living in an overcrowded, leaky tent after their home was destroyed.
Women on the Frontline
Female civil defence volunteers describe desperate rescue attempts.
"There are No Doctors to Treat Me"
People with chronic conditions struggle to access care following the earthquake.
Helping Children Heal
Psychological support essential to process the trauma of living through a natural disaster.
Farmer’s Woes
The earthquake has had a devastating impact on agriculture in Idlib.
Shelter Centre
A woman in the Idlib countryside shares her experience of living in a tent, unable to send her children to school.
A Survivor From the Rubble
A 16-year-old boy in southern Aleppo describes how he lost his family in the earthquake.
Project Partners
Basmeh & Zaintouneh is a non-profit, non-governmental civil society organisation supporting marginalised and disadvantaged Syrians affected by conflict. Its mission has been to create avenues to empower those affected by the conflict.
Founded in 1991, IWPR is an international not-for-profit organisation that empowers local voices to drive change in countries in conflict, crisis and transition. Where hate speech and propaganda proliferate, and journalists and civic activists are under attack, IWPR promotes reliable information and public debate that makes a difference.
Justice for Life, founded in 2015 by a group of activists from Deir Ezzor, is a Syrian, independent NGO working on promoting human rights, advocacy, and peace-building. It aims to promote human rights in Syrian society in political, legal, behavioural and cultural areas in order to ensure victims of abuses and their relatives can access their rights.
PEL-Civil Waves is an NGO founded in 2013 that promotes women, youth and marginalised groups in peacebuilding, and democratic governance in Syria. The organisation evolved from the Assembly of Syrian Kurdish Youth formed in 2011 to support the emerging civil movement in the northeast region.
Syria Bright Future is operating in Syria, Turkey, and Jordan specialising in women, youth, and marginalised groups’ empowerment and sexual and gender-based violence prevention. Its mission is to strengthen protection mechanisms, create safe spaces for women, youth, marginalised groups and girls.
Women Now initiated its first empowerment centres in the Idlib and Ghouta-areas, areas of strife and great deprivation, in January 2014. Women Now believe that the struggle for women’s rights is a holistic, multi-layered and gradual process, especially in the context of war and atrocities.