Marking the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325, the Center for Civil Society and Democracy (CCSD) co-sponsored the high-level session titled “Towards Equality, Justice, and Democracy,” held on October 28, 2025. The event was organized by the Syrian Women’s Political Movement and hosted by UN Women, with co-sponsorship from the Permanent Missions of Canada, Denmark, the Delegation of the European Union, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as UN Women, AI Ventures, Badael, the Caucus of Women in Politics in the Arab Region, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, Healing and Advocacy Center, Inclusive Security, Peace Track Initiative, Politics4Her, Syrian Female Journalists Network, Syrian Women’s Network, Window for Hope, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Women Now for Development.
The discussions highlighted key challenges facing Syrian women, promoting their political and social participation, and ensuring their rights and protection within a gender-inclusive framework for a just, democratic transition. Major themes included feminist approaches to political transition, inclusive peace processes, countering hate speech, protection of civilians, upholding international law, and combating gender-based violence.
In her remarks, Rajaa Altalli emphasized the urgent need to safeguard civic space, strengthen women’s leadership, and link aid and political processes to meaningful inclusion. She called for concrete steps to ensure Syrian women can lead initiatives in peacebuilding, justice, and reconstruction, reinforcing a pluralistic, democratic Syria grounded in equality and human rights.