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All-women's cafe in opposition-held Idlib stirs controversy

Syria’s northwestern city of Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, witnessed the opening of its first female coffee shop in what some deemed a type of discrimination against women. Others saw it as an outlet for women to escape the prevailing patriarchy in the Syrian opposition areas.
Eve Cafe, a women's-only cafe in Idlib, Syria.

A coffee shop dedicated to women opened in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib on May 8 with only female workers, waitresses and female clients allowed in.

The opening of the coffee shop sparked controversy on social media outlets among the Syrian opposition. While some lauded the concept, others dismissed it as a step that could empower women.

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