To date, 335 of Syria’s women and their allies have signed this statement, underscoring their commitment to shaping Syria’s future.
To António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
The fall of the murderous Assad regime was not just a military campaign led by men with guns. The events of the past weeks are also the result of almost 14 years of women and men bravely calling for change.
First on the streets across the country, where we stood up to oppression and extremism, and then from every corner of the globe as advocates and campaigners. Many have briefed you and the UNSC. Syrian women and our allies have been pivotal in upholding our vision for a free, dignified and democratic future for Syria and ensuring that a strong powerful civil society holds authorities and the international community to account for over a decade of violations.
As women and girls, we have faced, and continue to face, grave violations such as torture, detention, patriarchal laws, and violence in our own homes. Journalists and human rights defenders are subjected to direct attacks and intimidation. Since the start of the revolution, we have been demanding our rights and now is the moment to act.
Why then are you now holding talks about the future of Syria without Syrian women at the table? Our vision for an inclusive democratic society should be the blueprint for the new constitution. We should be leading the discussions that will help design the legal, ministerial and civic institutions going forward.
Our work together has already helped establish a new UN institution for the missing and the global justice movement we are a part of has led to numerous war crimes trials across Europe — creating the vital first steps towards justice and accountability.
We have a small window now to do this right. There is a rare opportunity to truly represent Syrians in all our diversity. This will require including representatives from all communities in the discussions about Syria’s future. We all know that the route forward cannot be held by armed groups or foreign powers.
Survivors of war crimes urgently require justice in the court room. But justice also means governing fairly and transparently in this next phase of Syria’s history. Syria’s people must be served by an inclusive government that stands for civic liberty and democracy.
As people who care about human rights, we do not accept the stark absence of women leaders in the transitional government or to be excluded from international discussions about our own future. This can only be addressed by ensuring that Syrian women are the driving force in this process towards the future government.
To default to anything else will not build peace and freedom for all Syrians.
If you would like to sign the letter in solidarity, click here.