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
Syria's Tireless Volunteers
All-women teams provide much needed aid following earthquake.
Syrian Families Seek Refuge in Temporary Shelters
Emergency response set up following devastating earthquake.
Syrians Face “Crush Syndrome” Following Earthquake
Agonising condition needs complex treatment which local services are struggling to provide.
Aid Begins to Flow into North West Syria
Local activists continue to criticise international community for not doing enough to support relief efforts.
Syrian Activists Condemn “Failure” of UN Aid Efforts
Fears that Damascus regime had politicised delivery of humanitarian relief to areas outside its control.
IWPR Responding in Syria
Focus is supporting Syrian partners to provide life-saving assistance as well as psychological support for adults and children.
Syria: Coming Back to Life
A former detainee survives torture and rebuilds her life as a nurse.
Syria: Managing Hope
Mother-of-four defies prejudice to manage a camp for internally displaced people.
Syria: The Courage to Lead
Highlighting women's political role before, during and after the revolution.
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.