Enab Baladi – Omar Alaa Eldin
Civil society activities in Syria have rapidly returned following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, covering all aspects of Syrian life from politics and economics to societal issues, varying between freedoms, justice, and women’s empowerment.
The Syrian government welcomes the resurgence of civil society organizations and considers them an important part of the development and improvement process in the country. This was stated by Rola al-Aghbar, Director of Non-Governmental Organizations at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, to Enab Baladi.
According to al-Aghbar, the government looks forward to civil society organizations playing a complementary role alongside governmental entities, stating, “We expect them to provide support in vital service areas such as health and education, and to contribute to achieving sustainable development.”
Partnership and balance
The Ministry of Social Affairs manages the file of civil society organizations with “balance,” working to build partnership relationships with these organizations to ensure the achievement of common goals while respecting the applicable laws and regulations.
The number of non-governmental organizations across all Syrian provinces has reached 2,443, as stated by al-Aghbar to Enab Baladi.
Since the regime’s fall, many civil society organizations have submitted requests for licensing, and 651 non-governmental organizations were officially registered from the beginning of the year until the present date, with all requests handled with flexibility and simplification of procedures in the first phase.
She added that the increase in the number of non-governmental organizations and licensing requests is linked to the depth and breadth of needs; the greater the need, the more licensing requests increase.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is working to enhance the working environment for non-governmental organizations in Syria, according to al-Aghbar, who noted that the ministry aims to empower NGOs and enhance their roles while providing an appropriate and effective environment to make them real and active partners with both governmental and private sector institutions in recovery, reconstruction, and development work in Syria.
Al-Aghbar stated, “We will strive to establish a fruitful partnership with civil society organizations based on responsibility and transparency,” indicating that the ministry’s goal is to serve beneficiaries with the highest levels of efficiency and quality, especially after the fall of the previous regime.
The ministry, according to al-Aghbar, aims to achieve the highest degrees of flexibility in organizing the sector’s work and providing procedural facilitation.
She continued, “We aim to empower associations and private institutions and improve the quality of services provided to beneficiaries, achieving integration and participation with the ministry’s work.”
The ministry emphasizes the importance of respecting the freedom of civil society organizations’ work in accordance with the current laws and regulations, as stated by al-Aghbar to Enab Baladi.
A social contract and complementary role
Samer al-Diyai, the Executive Director of the Syrian Free Lawyers Association, believes that the current transitional phase is a historical opportunity to enhance institutional and legal work in Syria, noting that their association has observed a positive openness from some governmental entities towards dialogue with civil society organizations, including legal advocacy groups.
Despite the formal procedures and institutional facilitation still under development, al-Diyai senses a “real desire” for cooperation and integration among some official actors, adding, “We recognize that the transition from a closed centralized phase to participatory governance requires time and collective will.”
Al-Diyai sees promising steps to expand the civil space, allowing for workshops and open dialogues with the community. He pointed out that what is happening today in Syria represents “a new formation in the relationship between the state and society.”
He mentioned that involving civil activism in sovereign and political issues is now open for discussion, with hopes that it will evolve toward a “comprehensive social contract” that rebuilds the state on the foundations of citizenship, suggesting it is an opportunity to build trust and establish stability in the country.
The Syrian Lawyers Association has not faced any direct or systematic harassment but has found responsiveness from the local community and several government and local institutions, according to the executive director, who expressed understanding for the security measures or challenges that are a part of the general context of this “complex” transitional phase.
The association is committed to respecting the law and prior coordination to ensure that “our activities are transparent and consistent with the general context.”
The association looks forward to being an active partner in rebuilding the justice system by:
Supporting victims and empowering them legally. Contributing to judicial reform and enhancing its independence. Providing legal advice to institutions and individuals. Promoting a culture of constitutional and legal rights within society.Al-Diyai stated, “We are cautiously optimistic, and we see the possibility of achieving something positive in this phase if it is built on a real partnership.”
He called on all parties to rally around a “constitution that respects rights,” justice that does not accept selectivity, and a society that rises on “the strength of the law, not the might of force.”
Among the main challenges facing civil work, according to the Executive Director of the Syrian Free Lawyers Association, are:
The absence of a unified legal framework that organizes the work of civil society organizations in a modern and developed manner that meets the requirements of the new phase and the historical context in which these organizations have operated, significantly contributing to the change project in Syria. The service challenges that Syria is experiencing. The need to build a new legal culture that enhances trust between the state and society. Limited financial, human, and technical resources in some areas. The long-standing impacts of war, which have created deep gaps in legal awareness and entrenched numerous violations against Syrians, which must be addressed.A call for national dialogue
Malak Touma, Director and Founder of the Initiative for the Right to Write, called on the Ministries of Local Administration, Culture, Social Affairs, and Justice to organize a comprehensive national conference that gathers representatives from civil society from different Syrian regions, aimed at rebuilding the relationship between the two parties on participatory and professional foundations, ensuring these foundations “liberate the public space and ensure its neutrality,” “guarantee the safety of those working in the civil field,” and “involve civil society in the formulation of public policies.”
She told Enab Baladi that what we are witnessing today is not just a return to civil activism, but a transformation in its nature and scope.
For the first time in years, this activism operates in a Syrian space that is no longer divided as it once was into four closed areas of influence. She added, “Those who operate today in the city of Aleppo can also work in the capital, Damascus, Deir Ezzor, Latakia, and others.”
Touma believes that the ability to move and communicate across regions reflects a new civil moment in Syria that is “more mature.”
Women’s work in Syria… Challenges
This moment, as Touma stated, is not only based on protest but also on rebuilding trust, producing initiatives, and reclaiming the public space peacefully and collaboratively. She considers it a promising beginning for a long-term social transformation that places people at the center.
Despite this positive shift in the map of activism, obstacles remain, including challenges related to “independent funding,” the need for “clearer legal frameworks,” and the disparity in security stability from one area to another.
However, the deeper challenge, according to Touma, lies in redefining the relationship between the state and civil society away from the logic of “domination or suspicion.” Moreover, it is essential to address what she described as the “heavy legacy of politicization and skepticism,” and to provide a safe space for collaborative work at all levels.
According to the Director of the Initiative for the Right to Write and a member of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement, civil society organizations focused on empowering women in Syria are witnessing “increasing development,” contributing to providing vital programs that enhance women’s participation in public life.
Touma believes that “the environment in which these organizations operate is not always ideal, and there are still administrative, cultural, and legislative challenges.”
She emphasizes that in light of the political transformation in the country, it is essential to work and change based on the premise that women’s issues are among the rightful causes that lead the Syrian state towards a safe and just form for both its women and men.
Any serious approach to women’s issues must consider diversity, work towards creating an environment that fairly represents everyone, and ensures equal opportunities.
Malak Touma, Director of the Initiative for the Right to Write
Touma asserts that women’s empowerment organizations must recognize the opportunity to build a new Syria from the ground up, which requires:
Building extensive partnerships among local organizations. Adopting inclusive and non-exclusionary discourses. Developing tools that ensure sustainability, professionalism, and transparency. Being the guardians of people’s memory and advocating on their behalf rather than substituting them. Investing in this relative openness for geographical and social movement to establish joint initiatives across regions, thereby solidifying the concept of a unified Syrian civil space.
Civil society strengthens its presence in Syria Enab Baladi.
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