Syriac Women’s Union participates in dialogue session about women’s rights in North and East Syria

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — With Turkish attacks on North East Syria ongoing and the systemic violations of women’s rights in the areas of Syria under its occupation, women in the areas governed by the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria continue to advance their role in society.

On Sunday, the Syriac Women’s Union attended a dialogue session focusing on women’s rights through political and social prisms.

The portion of the session centered on women’s political rights discussed the situation of women in the areas under Turkey control. A lecture delivered by Siham Dawod, Secretary General of the Future Syria Party, addressed all the violations committed by Turkey and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the political experiences of women from the Khabur Valley aera in North and East and Shingal in Iraq.

Hamrin Khalaf, head of the Center for Legal Studies in Luqman, spoke about the protections for women in times of war enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. Although laws exist, such as the Geneva Conventions, meant to protection civilians, women, and even combatants, Khalaf said, mechanism of implementation are weak and International silence of ongoing crimes is a persistent issue.

The portion of the session focused on women’s role in society was delivered by Aven Juma, Executive Director of the Al-Jazira Human Rights Organization. Juma addressed issues of domestic violence against women and reviewed local statistics about abuses suffered by women in the region as well as the systems in place to help decrease their occurrence and effects.

After the completion of the lectures, debate was opened to the audience and a collective plea was made by the attendees to the international community to take seriously the restoration of the rights of women who have been violated in Syria in general and the areas under Turkish occupation in particular.