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Reconstruction of Syria: Where do women and children stand?

BySriparna Pathak
Jan 18, 2025 05:04 PM IST

This article is authored by Sriparna Pathak. 

Devastating conflict of more than a decade has led to myriad forms of destruction in Syria, and it ranges from the annihilation of physical infrastructure, governance systems and even the very social fabric that once knit the society together. After the fall of the al-Assad regime, several hopes of a strong, prosperous and new Syria have been reignited. However, it is pertinent that certain essential conditions have to be met so that the country can rise from the ashes. A transitional government, the authority of which is acceptable to all stakeholders is a necessary pre-requisite. The caretaker government needs to extend a hand of reassurance and trust across communities in Syria. An attempt to rebuild the country can be successful only if the government is not just stable, but inclusive as well, and has international recognition, along with the trust of the Syrian people.

Syria(AFP) PREMIUM
Syria(AFP)

Second, a pinpointed approach to redressing the most affected is essential. Women and children in Syria have been among the worst affected. Prolonged and protracted conflict, mass displacement, economic devastation, several droughts along with the effects of the pandemic have fuelled catastrophic humanitarian needs in Syria. More than 7.5 million women and girls are in dire need of sexual and reproductive health services, along with support for mitigating effects of gender-based violence. Vulnerabilities continue to remain as multiple forms of physical and sexual violence, and child marriages continue unabated. Women and girls in Syria face myriad forms of discrimination including in equality before the law, protection against violence, inheritance distribution, access to housing and property, the custody of children, freedom of movement and so on. Ongoing hostilities, funding shortfalls and fuel shortages which in turn have led to the disruption in the deliveries of essential services have had severely negative impacts on their lives, their safety and their health.

According to estimates from the United Nations (UN) in 2023, more than three million children in Syria are no longer in school, leaving them at a heightened risk of forced marriage and child labour. While Unicef has supported 2.3 million children with education services, a huge number are still out of school. What this implies is that an entire generation can lose their educational future, as well as the chances of having gainful employment as adults. The situation is further worse in displacement camps and in other settlements, where more than half of the children are not in school.

After 14 years of devastation, many Syrian towns, villages and cities are almost empty and uninhabitable, as stated by the Unicef. Millions of children know nothing but conflict, since they were born into conflict and all they have witnessed all their lives is conflict. More than 7.5 million children need humanitarian assistance, including 6.4 million children who are in desperate need of urgent protection from forced labour, early marriage and recruitment into armed groups. The existing healthcare system is extremely fragile, with roughly 40% of health facilities being non-functional. Landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to pose deadly risks. 11 children were killed in the last week of December 2024 alone.

As the process of reconstruction is being envisaged, it is essential that all possible actions are taken to allow for robust humanitarian responses and economic recovery, while engaging both the private and public sectors. There is an urgent need for scaling up humanitarian assistance and the international community has to be leveraged as well. All parties have to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian laws so as to ensure the protection of civilians.

Several challenges still remain in Syria. While the UN and its associated bodies engage with the caretaker government, it is pertinent that the momentum is upheld. The international community including international organisations largely remained passive bystanders as conflict ensued in Syria for 14 years. Since children form the most vulnerable group of the ones affected, it has to be ensured that they form the priority, and children and their families can safely return to their former homes. There is an urgent need for a large-scale social protection scheme to prevent the most vulnerable from falling further deeper into extreme poverty, as the process of basic goods continue to rise. As a democratic model of governance starts being envisaged in Syria, it is pertinent that it includes quality before the law for women, protection against violence, access to housing and property among a long list of laws that establish equality in the society. A Constitution that respects women’s rights and sees women’s role as important in peace negotiations is also necessary. Beyond legal mechanisms, there is also an urgent need to expand mechanisms to monitor and document violations of rights to ensure that they extend beyond legal discrimination. While the challenges that face Syria may seem insurmountable after 14 years of conflict, fact also is that the country is on the cusp of a new dawn, and ensuring justice to the most affected can now be achieved, if only the roadmap is carefully planned and drawn up.

This article is authored by Sriparna Pathak, associate professor, Chinese Studies and International Relations, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

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