Syrians take part in a rally to demand democracy and women's rights in Umayyad Square, Damascus, Dec. 19, 2024. (Credit: Louai Beshara/AFP)
Comments by Syria's newly appointed head of women's affairs sparked controversy and outrage on Sunday, weeks after Syrian opposition forces, led by the Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Following Assad's ousting, concerns were raised about how the new administration would accommodate the rights and needs of women and the various diverse religious and ethnic communities in Syria.
During an interview on Turkey's state-run TRT broadcaster, Aisha al-Dibs — the only woman so far in Syria's transitional government — called on women "not to go beyond the priorities of their God-given nature," and to know "their educational role in the family."
When asked about the "space" that would be given to feminist organizations in the country, Dibs replied that if the actions of such organizations "support the model that we are going to build, then they will be welcome," adding: "I am not going to open the path for those who don't agree with my thinking."
'No to a new repression'
Her on-air comments received widespread criticism, especially online. "You can talk about your own thinking... at home, but don't impose your thinking by wanting us to stay at home," said Facebook user Batraa Abo Aljadayel. "No to a new political and cultural repression... a repression of public and individual liberties," she added.
Actress Aliaa Saeid said on social network X that "we were imprisoned so that we could [obtain the right] to express our opinion. We have been displaced, our homes have been destroyed, so that in the end you come and tell us what's allowed and what's not?"
New Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani sought to calm the situation on Sunday, posting on X that the new Syrian authorities would "stand by" women and "fully support their rights."
"We believe in the active role of women within society, and we have confidence in their capacities," he said, adding that "Syrian women fought long years for a free homeland that preserves their dignity and status."
HTS has been making concerted efforts to modernize its image and promote open dialogue amid a precarious transition period coming out of 13 years of oppressive rule under Assad. Observers, activists and diplomats alike have expressed a mix of optimism and wariness, and HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa is pushing a line of inclusivity while some members of his group share conflicting and controversial statements, especially on the topic of women.
Across all fields or only certain positions?
In mid-December, a video circulated widely online in which Ubaida Arnaout, spokesperson for HTS’ interim political administration, tells a crowd of people gathered around him: “The essence of women and their biological and psychological nature does not align with all positions, such as the minister of defense, for example.”
Dibs appeared to oppose — albeit vaguely — this view a week later in an interview with Al Jazeera from Damascus on Dec. 22. She told the Qatari outlet that the government was committed to engaging Syrian women in social, cultural and political institutions, and recruiting qualified women in healthcare and education sectors.
“It is known to us all that the Syrian woman, historically, is a highly effective woman, able to lead across all fields. Today, we are in the process of bringing her back to this leading role in building Syria, a new country, the free country we all aspire for,” Dibs said.
She pledged to encourage women from all the Syrian provinces and ethnicities to participate in an upcoming national dialogue conference, the date of which Al Jazeera did not specify, where the future of the country will be discussed and at which, Sharaa has said, HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, would be dissolved.
'A model that is right for Syrian society'
In the Sunday interview on Turkish television, Dibs echoed her previous statements. "We are all equal," Dibs said of Syrian women from diverse religious backgrounds. She invited "those with qualifications and experience" to apply for public sector posts and "to come together around the same table to study the model" that Syria should adopt to support the role of women and women's rights. "Why adopt a lay or civil model? We want to implement a model that is right for Syrian society, and Syrian women will make it happen," she said.
She invited Syrian women everywhere "to come together around the same table to study the model" that Syria should adopt to support the role of women and women's rights. "Why adopt a lay or civil model? We want to implement a model that is right for Syrian society, and Syrian women will make it happen," she said.
However, much is still unclear. Sharaa initially said that the interim government under appointed Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, who led the administration the rebel-held north of the country, would serve until March 1, 2025, although it has not been announced what follows.
Sharaa commented for the first time on a possible timetable for elections in an interview with al-Arabiya on Sunday, saying it could take up to four years for elections to be held in the country. Drafting a new constitution could take up to three years, Sharaa said, in excerpts cited by Reuters of the interview with the Saudi state-owned broadcaster. He also said it would take about a year for Syrians to see drastic changes.