As Syria Rebuilds, Syrian Women Share their Hopes, Fears, and Dreams
With the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, and the emergence of a new transition government led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, concerns about women’s rights and their role in rebuilding Syria have grown. More To Her Story interviewed female Syrian students and teachers at Triumphant Mercy, an educational centre in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, who shared their dreams and concerns for the role women will play in Syria’s next chapter.
Hibba, 34, poses for a portrait in the educational center she works in.
Hibba, a 34-year-old Syrian teacher from Yarmouk, fled to Lebanon soon after the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in March 2011. Upon her arrival, she began teaching displaced Syrians at an educational center in Lebanon, which gave her a renewed sense of purpose: “I loved working with the children because I felt I could help them in their difficult situation, giving them knowledge and skills for the future,” she told More to Her Story.
The 13-year conflict in Syria forced hundreds of thousands of people to seek refuge abroad, particularly in Lebanon, which now has the highest number of refugees per capita — over 1.5 million in total. As of January 2023, more than 300,000 Syrian refugees were living in informal settlements in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, enduring harsh conditions with few opportunities for work or education. While international organizations and NGOs provided essential support, many refugees, like Hibba, stepped up to help their communities.
Hibba harbours distrust toward the transition government and worries about the future her students — especially the girls — will face when they eventually return to Syria. “I was married when I was 13,” she told More to Her Story. “I know the pressure and expectation put on girls in society to get married and become mothers. I don’t want that for my students.”
Nabila, 13 — the same age Hibba was when she was married — stands for a portrait, embodying a different dream for her future.
Yet Hibba also remains hopeful. Reflecting on her 10 years as a teacher, she said, “At first, the girls would tell me they wanted to be a wife. Now they tell me that they want to be a doctor or an engineer. Their dreams have expanded.” Hibba hopes that a new Syria will offer these girls the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Her concerns about the new government are shared by many across Syria. Concerns among activists and Syrian women intensified, and women protested in Damascus after controversial remarks by Obaida Arnout, a spokesperson for the transitional government, saying that “women have their special physical and mental nature which fits some tasks.”
These remarks were widely interpreted as undermining women’s opportunities within the new regime. Concerns worsened when it was revealed that the current Minister of Justice, Shadi al-Waisi, had overseen the execution of a woman on religious grounds which brought concerns about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s previous links with the militant terrorist organization Al Qaeda. Although the group has severed all ties with Al Qaeda and made efforts to present a more moderate image, including advocating for the inclusion of women and ethnic and religious minorities, Al Waisi recently made the false claim that most Syrians support the implementation of Sharia law in Syria. These incidents sparked outrage and protests, with many women rallying to ensure the new government respects their rights.
The implementation of Sharia law is not inherently harmful to women, but its more extreme interpretations have historically been used to justify forced marriages, lower the marriage age for girls, implement dress codes, restrict access to education, enforce public floggings, and limit freedoms in both private and public life. For Syrian activists, this history is a clear reminder of what is at stake for the future of women’s rights in Syria.
Safana, a teacher from Halib, expressed similar worries. “I hope that the girls I have been able to teach can continue their studies when they return to Syria and that girls can take their rights and live in peace,” she said.
Safana poses in front of a tent in the tented settlement she lives in the Bekka Valley.
During the 2011 Syrian uprising, women across the country rallied for gender equality. Discriminatory laws meant that women were unable to pass on their nationality to their children, facing legal barriers, and conservative views that a woman’s place was solely in the home and family. The years of conflict and instability that followed deepened inequalities, particularly for girls. Over a decade of war saw girls miss out on crucial years of education and a rise in cases of child marriage in Syria and among displaced Syrians. Safana’s concerns about the future of women and girls in Syria highlight the ongoing tension between traditional, conservative views and the aspirations of many women.
Kulthum, 24, a Syrian woman from Aleppo who fled Syria for Lebanon in 2022, was always determined to forge her own path despite familial and societal pressures. While her three older sisters married young, Kulthum pursued higher education instead and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in Arabic. “God willing, I hope and pray that more people in Syria will have the chance to continue their studies,” she said. “I always tell the girls I teach, ‘You have a right to dream.’ Girls deserve more than just growing up, getting married, and having kids. They deserve to learn, to thrive, and to feel fulfilled.”
Kulthum, 24, poses for a portrait outside of the education center she works in. She is turned away from the camera to protect her identity.
This hope has been echoed by Aisha al-Dibs, the newly appointed head of the Women’s Affairs Office under Syria’s interim government. Aisha, the first woman to hold a ministry position in Syria’s new administration, believes that women will be an integral part of public society in a new Syria. Since her appointment, more women have been appointed for important roles presiding over the country’s infrastructure, signalling a potential shift toward greater female inclusion.
Yet while the new education minister has said that girls’ access and right to education will be unrestricted, the new government's decision to revise the national curriculum has sparked concerns, with women's rights advocates particularly worried that revision of names of historical figures, like the removal of Queen Zenobia’s name from the national curriculum, erase the contributions of women to Syria’s history.
Bushra, a 34-year-old mother and teacher who fled Syria ten years ago, shared her perspective. She had been pursuing a bachelor’s degree before the war forced her to abandon her studies and trade her home for a refugee camp in Lebanon. “When the situation in Syria improved, many people chose to return,” she explained. Despite this, Bushra, and an estimated 200,000 Syrians, decided to remain in Lebanon due to ongoing instability in Syria. The World Food Programme has warned that over 12 million Syrians are at risk of hunger, and 90 percent of the population is living in poverty. Additionally, around 328,000 homes have been destroyed, leaving many with no place to return to. In such turbulent times, the education and rights of girls could take a backseat as the government works to address the country’s immediate needs.
Sawsan, a mother of three and teacher, voiced her concerns about returning to Syria. “This decision weighs on me a lot,” she said. “I love working as a teacher, and my personal dream is to return and study at a university, but I know realistically I will not be able to do this when I return with my family,” she said.
Sawsan poses for a portrait in the educational center she works in.
Sawsan’s primary concern is for the future of her children and students. “There are no opportunities anymore in my area. We no longer have a house, no schools, and basic things like electricity or food,” she said. “I will have to focus on the dreams of my children. I want them to go to school and have opportunities, my boys and my girls.”
Conflict and displacement forced many women to take on greater responsibility for their families and communities, leading to the emergence of more female-headed households. Selina, a Lebanese NGO worker and advocate for women, echoed these sentiments. She emphasised that while conservative views persist, women who have faced the compound challenges of being a refugee in Lebanon will bring new perspectives to Syria when they eventually return. “For Syrian women who have lived in Lebanon, returning to Syria will not erase the phase they lived through,” she explained. “It will affect Syria. They will encourage the next generation of girls.”
The future of Syria holds particular significance for young girls like 13-year-old Nabila, who dreams of becoming a doctor. “I want to continue my studies, of course,” she said. “But we don’t know what lies ahead in Syria. We’ll have to wait and see.”
This new chapter in Syria’s history offers a unique opportunity but also risks sidelining women. Yet, Syrian women refuse to be marginalised. On January 9, the Syrian Women’s Political Movement held a press conference to demand that equality be a priority for the new government — yet another example of Syrian women’s persistent efforts to amplify their voices.