” Peacebuilding defines our future now” A study of women’s peace activism in Syria Contents Badael Foundation 2 The authors 2 Foreword: An exclusive insight into Syrian women’s activism 3 Executive summary: Empowerment for peace 4 Introduction: Peacebuilding in the midst of violence 6 Chapter One: Historical development of women’s activism in Syria 8 Chapter Two: General characteristics of women’s groups 10 Chapter Three: Perspectives and priorities 14 Chapter Four: Collective and individual efforts in peacebuilding 20 Chapter Five: Challenges and resources 31 Conclusions and recommendations: Crucial actors for change 36 List of acronyms 39 References and further reading 39 The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 39 ” PEACEBUILDING DEFINES OUR FUTURE NOW” BADAEL FOUNDATION” A STUDY OF WOMEN’S PEACE ACTIVISM IN SYRIA Badael means alternatives” in Arabic. The Badael Foundation is a Syrian non-governmenal organiza- Authors: Razan Ghazzawi, Afra Mohammad, Oula Ramadan tion (NGO) committed to strengthening civil society Badael Research Assistants: groups and NGOs in Syria. The foundation works Ayham Al Hussein and Raheb Alwany with groups that are active or want to become active Field research: Badael team in the promotion and/or implementation of activi- Project Manager at The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation: ties to reduce violence, break its cycle, respond to Saba Nowzari the conflict, and prepare a future pluralistic Syria. Editor: Malin Ekerstedt, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation More info: http://badael.org/en/homepage/ Layout: Ida Svedlund, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation Publisher: Badael Foundation Funded by: The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation THE AUTHORS Front page: Syrian women taking part in an anti-regime Razan Ghazzawi is a freelance researcher, currently protest in Aleppo. Photo: TT/AFP/Dimitar Dilkoff studying her second Master in Gender, Sexuality and Body at the University of Leeds. She has been a blogger and journalist since 2006 and a grassroots activist during the Syrian uprising before leaving Syria in December 2013. Afra Mohammad has an MA in International Rela- tions. During the last three years, she has been ©Badael Foundation, 2015 working closely with Syrian civil society and wom- Istanbul, Turkey en’s organizations. All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be Oula Ramadan is the founder and Executive Director printed, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means of Badael Foundation. Her work focuses on human without prior written permission from Badael Foundation. rights, conflict transformation and peacebuilding in Syria as well as on sexual and gender-based vio- ISBN 1 978-91-982827-0-2 lence among refugees from the Middle East and Printed by: Exellent Print & Design North Africa region. Foreword An exclusive insight into Syrian women’s activism he alarming reports of human rights violations active roles in peacebuilding needs to be highlighted often in Syria have not slipped past anyone. The vul- to safeguard women’s participation in transitional pro- nerability of Syrian women in particular has cesses. This report, conducted by the Badael Foundation, been constantly portrayed in the media and by with the support of The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and various actors. These reports have once again co-funded by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, is a testimony Tput violence against women, especially sexual violence in of how women carry out crucial peace work in the midst times of war, on the agenda of the United Nations (and the of violence and oppression. Efforts that often go unrecog- international community), where resolutions have con- nized by the outside world. demned such acts and protection mechanisms have been called for. However, these actions have led to a narrowed The Badael Foundation is a Syrian non-governmental perception of the role of Syrian women in peacebuilding organization committed to strengthening civil society efforts. Treating Syrian women’s rights as solely a ques- groups in Syria that are, or want to become, active in pro- tion of protection has reduced the women to being pas- moting peacebuilding measures. The foundation not only sive victims of the war. Protection is a prerequisite for the capacitates Syrian civil society organizations, but also pro- security of Syrian women, but it must go hand in hand duces evidence-based research about, and for, its work for with the recognition of their role as agents for change and sustainable peace. Given the current security situation in sustainable peace. Syria, the data for this study would have been impossible to obtain without the Badael research team’s access to a One of the greatest challenges of our time is to achieve sus- large range of women’s groups in the country. The data tainable peace and democracy in conflict-affected coun- collection was carried out between the second half of 2014 tries. Many theories exist about what is needed to achieve and the summer of 2015 – a time when security condi- peace, stability and security, but one clear requirement is tions in some areas worsened, putting the researchers at the equal participation of both men and women in con- constant risk. flict resolution. Violent conflict tends to be more predom- inant in countries with a low representation of women Thanks to the Badael Foundation’s unique access, this in decision-making positions and where violence against report can provide exclusive insight into the activism of women is more prevalent1, so to recognize and utilize the Syrian women, in general, and peacebuilding, in particu- expertise of women in conflict areas is a peacebuilding lar. It seeks to understand women’s activism in Syria, in activity in itself. This has been the experience of The terms of countering violence and promoting peacebuild- Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, which was founded as a ing, and to highlight the role the Syrian women activists response to the atrocities committed against women dur- have been playing in peacebuilding. It also identifies op- ing the war in the Balkans. During its 20 years of existence portunities for the international community and Syrian it has consistently worked not only to strengthen the pro- actors to build upon this activism and assist in finding a tection of women, but also to increase their participation peaceful political solution. as actors of change. 20 years after the Balkan war the same challenges appear in other conflict-affected regions when it comes to the equal inclusion of women in peacebuilding efforts. Oula Ramadan, Director Lena Ag, Secretary General Therefore, the message of the importance of women’s Badael Foundation The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation 1. Equal Power – Lasting Peace, Kvinna till Kvinna, 2012 3 Executive summary Empowerment for peace ike any civil society activism in Syria prior to 2011, women activism either suffered from a tightly held state patronage or, for the few organizations and activists that managed to remain rather independent, a heavy moni- Ltoring. It was not until 2011, with the outbreak of the protests against the Syrian regime, that civil society, including old and new women civil activism, started to grow and diversify. The increased militarization and ever-escalating vio- lence in the country have, however, greatly diminished the scope of work of many of these newly emerged women civil society organizations and activists. Faced with this increased marginalization of their activism, Syrian women in Ghouta demonstrating against the extremist armed many of them started to design and implement inter- group Jayesh al-Islam (Army of Islam). Photo: Siraj press ventions to reduce the violence, combat armament, and promote a culture of nonviolence. The facts and opinions presented in this study derive from questionnaires answered by 49 women civil soci- ety groups, interviews with 35 prominent women lead- ers, and focus group discussions with about 100 wom- en activists in Syria. The research covers a significant percentage of all the Syrian territories. However due to security reasons some areas, like Homs, Hama and Raqqa, could not be reached and are consequently not represented. Peacebuilding for equal rights The study shows that most of the women activists Four women in Deir Ezzor, participating in the Planet Syria campaign. define peacebuilding as a process, which starts with The campaign aims to engage people around the world in solidarity to an immediate ceasefire and inclusive negotiations to stop the violence and extremism in Syria. Photo: Planet Syria reach a political solution, and results in justice and equal rights for all citizens of Syria. The activists also perceived a direct link between a strong civil society and peacebuilding in Syria because they saw civil so- ciety as the only true representative of the people – in comparison to political parties and international actors that they believed were only pursuing their own nar- row interests. Many of the women activists had become active in peacebuilding work, because of personal experiences of discrimination or after watching others being subject- ed to oppression by the state. They also expressed that the deteriorating situation in the country had made Women discussing their roles, rights and responsibilities at the first them feel obliged to act. Most of the women activists Women Conference in Ghouta in 2015. Photo: Hurras Network 4 believed peacebuilding, amidst the ongoing violence, was peacebuilding activities. The fact that many women’s their gateway towards reconstructing society. groups are not registered was one frequently mentioned reason for why they are turned down by donors. At other Some of the women activists expressed negative views times, it has been the activists themselves who have been on the idea of peacebuilding. However, this turned out to suspicious of preconditioned grant applications that they primarily be based on a different understanding of what thought could alter their activities or donors simply hav- peacebuilding entails, rather than rejection of combating ing other agendas and interests than the groups.