Will Syrian women get wider representation in opposition?
The Syrian opposition is working to empower women and increase their participation at the political level, amid low female representation in official institutions.
ALEPPO, Syria — The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces includes only eight women out of its 86 members, i.e., only 9% of its members are women. At the international level, the coalition is represented by 11 men and two women.
According to the coalition’s website, female members are independent figures. This means women in the coalition do not represent any of the political blocs that make up the coalition, including the Damascus Declaration, the Syrian local councils and the Kurdish National Council.
Hoda al-Absi was the only woman out of seven ministers in the interim government affiliated with the coalition, serving as minister of education. On April 14, she announced her resignation from the government, leaving behind an all-men government.
In a post on her Facebook page, Absi said, “The past period has been difficult for me as a minister of education as I faced many difficulties, hurdles and challenges. Unfortunately, there have been several attempts to thwart [my work] from those who were supposed to support and back me in my work.”
