August 5, 2022 - Women tend to have a limited place in public life inside Syria, with old stereotypes about their ability to be effective leaders and decision makers enduring in conservative environments. Today, more and more women are deciding to publicly challenge these beliefs and to take the lead in carving out a role for themselves.

The Women's Support and Empowerment Unit, one of the organizations Baytna supports and funds in Syria, is a non-profit civil society organization that launched in 2018 with a conference attended by more than 150 women from Aleppo's northern and eastern countryside. The Unit now has over 500 members from all around the countryside of Aleppo, from Afrin to Jarablus.

Its mission is simple: to enable women to participate effectively in public life, in a more egalitarian society where empowered women fully contribute to building their community, and where they can mitigate the challenges they face in their public partnership with men. This includes not only the social sphere, but also the political, economic, and cultural realm in Aleppo’s northern and eastern countryside.

With committees in 12 cities in the region, the Unit’s members are not waiting for opportunities to present themselves by chance: they are pro-active, establishing themselves in leadership roles by communicating with local social and administrative actors and pushing for inclusion and change.

The “Strengthening Leadership Roles for Women” project, supported by Baytna, enabled the Unit to train 90 women in skills needed for engagement in public affairs, including effective communication, advocacy, and governance. In collaboration with local councils, the project also organized regular meetings with women in various cities in the region, to advocate for women's social and political empowerment.

Their efforts are slowly bearing fruit, with women encouraging others to join them. The Unit’s director, Nivin Al Houtary, recalls that in one of their events in Azaz, a young woman, holding her baby girl, sat next to her mother as they listened to the trainer. "I saw in them the struggle of Syrian women of all generations, fighting to have a fundamental role in the future of their country. For me, it’s as if these three women were the past, the present, and the future, sending a message to all women that participating is not related to age or circumstances, but rather to initiative and continuity."

Not only has the Unit already managed to convince five local councils to include more women in leading positions, but women in cities where committees have not yet been established have requested activities and trainings in their areas, after hearing about the Unit’s success. Members have also liaised with the local Stability Support Unit in several cities, to expand the Unit’s circle of activity.

“Strengthening Leadership Roles for Women” is an important project for the Unit, because it was based on an assessment of the needs of women in more than one community. It later helped develop the committees’ work and provided leadership opportunities for women inside the Unit as members, and outside the Unit as influencers and decision-makers within their communities,” said Al Houtary.

Women’s organizations in Syria have been finding their way over the past few years, adapting to new circumstances in their communities and investing in themselves by learning skills they need to expand their influence and options. It is a testament to their dedication and achievements so far that more women are becoming encouraged to do more too, seeking trainings and joining networks that can help them achieve those goals.