Menu
The project “Women, Local Peace, Power, and Politics in Northwest Syria,” implemented from March 17, 2021, to December 30, 2022, in Kafr Yahmul, is an important initiative aimed at empowering women from diverse backgrounds to actively participate in peacebuilding. This project directly benefited 100 women and indirectly impacted 500 community members. By enhancing women’s participation in local peace initiatives and developing a strategic vision for long-term peacebuilding efforts in Syria, the project sought to strengthen the local social fabric and promote sustainable peace.
In the context of the prolonged Syrian conflict, women have often been marginalized in peacebuilding processes and political engagement. However, they possess unique perspectives and capabilities essential for fostering community reconciliation and rebuilding societies. This project recognized the crucial role of women in peacebuilding and aimed to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders and active participants in shaping Syria’s future.
The project was based on three main theories of change that guided its implementation and aimed to achieve sustainable peace through women’s empowerment.
The SHAN Network was established to organize and institutionalize women’s work in peacebuilding. By bringing together a diverse group of women from various religious backgrounds, the network aimed to empower them as leaders. Institutionalizing the SHAN Network would help organize women’s work, with a clear plan to work with women from diverse religious backgrounds and empower them to become leaders. If SHAN Network members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, they will carry out the tasks assigned to them within the network and develop interventions in the community that contribute to peacebuilding processes. The women will work on building trust among themselves and bridging the gap caused by sectarian divisions. If women build trust, analyze the community, and formulate solutions to problems related to peacebuilding, especially among Syrian women, they will establish a broader initiative involving Syrian women across Syria, thereby strengthening the local social fabric and paving the way for sustainable local peace.
This theory emphasizes the importance of research and recommendations in involving women in the political and peace processes. Researchers in the SHAN Network produced research papers aimed at gathering recommendations from civil society organizations. The theory posits that if these recommendations are disseminated and civil society organizations respond positively, it will reduce the exclusion of women from peacebuilding and political processes. By addressing documented cases of violence and discrimination against women, the project aims to create a more inclusive environment that encourages women’s participation in peacebuilding and political pathways.
The project also focused on establishing a local women’s committee with political authority. This committee was envisioned as a bridge between local, national, and international peacebuilding pathways. The theory assumes that effective communication between these pathways will enhance women’s participation in politics at the local level. When women actively participate in the political process, political actions are more likely to be inclusive and gender-sensitive, thus contributing to sustainable peace and development.
The project successfully empowered 100 women with the skills and knowledge necessary for peacebuilding and political participation. These women, in turn, influenced 500 community members, promoting a culture of inclusion and cooperation. By institutionalizing the SHAN Network, the project is establishing an organized platform for women’s leadership in peacebuilding. The research initiatives led to actionable recommendations that enhance civil society interventions and reduce barriers to women’s participation. The establishment of the local women’s committee with political authority facilitates communication and cooperation across different levels, strengthening women’s roles in peace processes.
The project “Women, Local Peace, Power, and Politics in Northwest Syria” demonstrates the transformative potential of women’s participation in peacebuilding and political processes. By focusing on institutionalizing women’s work, conducting research, and empowering local committees, the project addressed critical gaps in women’s participation in shaping Syria’s future.
This initiative underscores the importance of continued support for women’s leadership in conflict-affected areas. Empowering women as peacebuilders and political actors is crucial for achieving sustainable peace and development. As the project has shown, when women are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and platforms to participate meaningfully, they can effect significant positive change, fostering resilient and inclusive communities.
The project “Women, Local Peace, Power, and Politics in Northwest Syria,” implemented from March 17, 2021, to December 30, 2022, in Kafr Yahmul, is an important initiative aimed at empowering women from diverse backgrounds to actively participate in peacebuilding. This project directly benefited 100 women and indirectly impacted 500 community members. By enhancing women’s participation in local peace initiatives and developing a strategic vision for long-term peacebuilding efforts in Syria, the project sought to strengthen the local social fabric and promote sustainable peace.
In the context of the prolonged Syrian conflict, women have often been marginalized in peacebuilding processes and political engagement. However, they possess unique perspectives and capabilities essential for fostering community reconciliation and rebuilding societies. This project recognized the crucial role of women in peacebuilding and aimed to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders and active participants in shaping Syria’s future.
The project was based on three main theories of change that guided its implementation and aimed to achieve sustainable peace through women’s empowerment.
The SHAN Network was established to organize and institutionalize women’s work in peacebuilding. By bringing together a diverse group of women from various religious backgrounds, the network aimed to empower them as leaders. Institutionalizing the SHAN Network would help organize women’s work, with a clear plan to work with women from diverse religious backgrounds and empower them to become leaders. If SHAN Network members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, they will carry out the tasks assigned to them within the network and develop interventions in the community that contribute to peacebuilding processes. The women will work on building trust among themselves and bridging the gap caused by sectarian divisions. If women build trust, analyze the community, and formulate solutions to problems related to peacebuilding, especially among Syrian women, they will establish a broader initiative involving Syrian women across Syria, thereby strengthening the local social fabric and paving the way for sustainable local peace.
This theory emphasizes the importance of research and recommendations in involving women in the political and peace processes. Researchers in the SHAN Network produced research papers aimed at gathering recommendations from civil society organizations. The theory posits that if these recommendations are disseminated and civil society organizations respond positively, it will reduce the exclusion of women from peacebuilding and political processes. By addressing documented cases of violence and discrimination against women, the project aims to create a more inclusive environment that encourages women’s participation in peacebuilding and political pathways.
The project also focused on establishing a local women’s committee with political authority. This committee was envisioned as a bridge between local, national, and international peacebuilding pathways. The theory assumes that effective communication between these pathways will enhance women’s participation in politics at the local level. When women actively participate in the political process, political actions are more likely to be inclusive and gender-sensitive, thus contributing to sustainable peace and development.
The project successfully empowered 100 women with the skills and knowledge necessary for peacebuilding and political participation. These women, in turn, influenced 500 community members, promoting a culture of inclusion and cooperation. By institutionalizing the SHAN Network, the project is establishing an organized platform for women’s leadership in peacebuilding. The research initiatives led to actionable recommendations that enhance civil society interventions and reduce barriers to women’s participation. The establishment of the local women’s committee with political authority facilitates communication and cooperation across different levels, strengthening women’s roles in peace processes.
The project “Women, Local Peace, Power, and Politics in Northwest Syria” demonstrates the transformative potential of women’s participation in peacebuilding and political processes. By focusing on institutionalizing women’s work, conducting research, and empowering local committees, the project addressed critical gaps in women’s participation in shaping Syria’s future.
This initiative underscores the importance of continued support for women’s leadership in conflict-affected areas. Empowering women as peacebuilders and political actors is crucial for achieving sustainable peace and development. As the project has shown, when women are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and platforms to participate meaningfully, they can effect significant positive change, fostering resilient and inclusive communities.
