CCSD statement in advance of the U.K. FCDO meeting organized by ICAN for July 31, 2025

• 10 months ago

Thank you for meeting with us and for your support for Syrians in our journey for peace and democracy. We ask that you hold regular briefings with representatives of independent Syrian civil society organizations to inform and shape your policies. 

Since 2011, the Center for Civil Society and Democracy has worked alongside thousands of Syrian women, CSOs, and youth. We recognize that Syria needs a pluralistic democratic decentralized government which guarantees equality, human rights, and separation between state and religion. 

Our recommendations are that FCDO support:

• Strengthening and safeguarding civic space and civil society organizations and ensure adoption of gender-sensitive frameworks across all policies and programs. 
• An ongoing National Dialogue process to help address the root causes of conflict in Syria, along with a fair and inclusive transitional justice process. 
• Syrian women to establish protection mechanisms for women against all violations.  

• Allocation of designated resources to support Syrian women’s resilience during the transition, and for Syrian women to design and lead humanitarian and development projects. Ensure that Syrian women constitute more than half of the beneficiaries of UK’s support

• Conditional assistance based on the inclusion of at least 30% Syrian women  in all sectors (Government, Civil Society and private sector) and in the design of the transitional justice process, including truth and reconciliation efforts and special courts to try SGBV cases.  Also, advocate that all the national and international mechanisms include a task force on SGBV. 
• Upholding women’s rights and ensuring women’s engagement in all political processes, including constitutional process, security sector reform, free and fair elections, as mandated by UNSCR 2254. Support the Syrian women-led consultation process to design the Syrian National Action Plan for WPS 
• Mobilize more support for the feminist agenda, women’s organizations, WAB, and women politicians to enable them to participate in peace, security, justice, and reconstruction.

Please refer to our documents: 

1- Recommendations for Women’s Engagement.

2- Principles of Syria’s transition. 

3- Challenges and suggestions for the transitions.