Challenging stigma and structural barriers for women’s leadership in Syria

As Syria continues its transition towards recovery and stabilization, women remain largely excluded from political and peacebuilding processes, despite growing recognition that sustainable peace and long-term recovery depend on their leadership and meaningful participation.

Roshan Ahmad: Breaking Barriers and Running for Parliament in Syria

On the day Roshan Ahmad announced her intention to run as an independent candidate for the People’s Assembly in Syria, her older brother strongly opposed her decision.

Roshan Ahmad is a 30-year-old civil society activist living in Afrin, a city in Northwest Syria. “I was looking to develop myself, build new skills and learn how to turn hesitation and fear into confidence and determination.”

Determined to overcome resistance from her family and community, Roshan joined the “Watad” project on women’s political participation and social norms transformation, implemented by DAR for Peace and Prosperity, under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership programme.

Despite the stigma, Roshan participated in leadership and advocacy training, gaining skills in negotiation, political analysis, and campaign building. Using the negotiation and persuasion skills she learned and practiced, Roshan was able to engage with her brother in a constructive dialogue and convince him of the value of her candidacy. Within a week, Roshan’s brother was publicly advocating for women’s leadership and political engagement—demonstrating an example of influence within her immediate circle. While Roshan was ultimately not elected, she shared “I learned that change begins with a courageous word and honest dialogue, and that participation itself is both a message and a source of power.”

Adopting a multi-layered approach focused on empowering women activists, generating evidence on social stigma, and supporting women-led community initiatives, the “Watad” project aimed to transform harmful social norms and expand women’s civic and political engagement. Across Afrin and Qamishli in Northern Syria, the project supported 15 community-led initiatives that reached more than 1,614 community members through dialogue sessions, cultural activities, awareness campaigns, and community engagement events. These initiatives created safe and inclusive spaces to openly discuss sensitive issues, including women’s political participation, gender roles, and social stigma.

In parallel, comprehensive pre- and post- stigma assessments were conducted, collecting responses from over 3,600 community members across both locations. Findings revealed a measurable 10.5 per cent reduction of stigmatizing attitudes towards women’s participation in public and political life, demonstrating tangible progress in shifting social norms and reinforcing the value of community dialogue and women-led advocacy.

Through the work of DAR for Peace and Prosperity, under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership programme, 76 women activists from Afrin and Qamishli representing different local networks participated in specialized training on peacebuilding, leadership, advocacy, dialogue, negotiation, and community engagement.

Fighting Stigma through Community Dialogue

Kawthar Mohammad is a community activist and volunteer with Small Dreams, a women-led community initiative in Qamishli, bringing together Syrian women from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds -including internally displaced women- and supporting their social and economic participation.

Kawthar Mohammad joined “Watad” activities while navigating both heavy caregiving responsibilities and restrictive social norms that discouraged women’s public engagement.

Through the project, she developed skills in facilitation, negotiation, and community mobilization, which she immediately put into practice by organizing a community event with “Small Dreams” to address stigma surrounding divorce. Building on this momentum, she created the “Women of the Community” digital network, which evolved into a safe space for dialogue, peer support, and collective action for marginalized women in her community: “Dialogue is the main gateway to change and every simple idea can become an impactful initiative” she says.  Her work demonstrates how women-led networks can sustain impact beyond project timelines and reshape local perceptions around sensitive social issues.

This activity was implemented by DAR for Peace and Prosperity within the framework of the WYDE | Women’s Leadership project, with the support of the European Union and in partnership with UN Women.

DAR for Peace and Prosperity is a grant recipient under WYDE | Women’s Leadership, a collaborative global effort aimed at advancing women’s full and effective political participation and decision-making at all levels, especially those most often left furthest behind. Funded by the European Union, WYDE | Women’s Leadership is led by UN Women and forms part of the Women and Youth Democratic Engagement initiative (WYDE), which seeks to strengthen the rights and participation of women and youth as key actors of development and social change.