Member of the Syrian Coalition Suheir al-Atassi said Syrian women have been going through unspeakable suffering, whether due to displacement, loss of loved ones, detention, sexual violence, and death by starvation or under torture or in bombardment by the Assad regime.
Speaking yesterday at a panel discussion organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran on the International Women’s Day, Atassi said that the international community is not paying enough attention to the plight of Syrian women.
Atassi added perpetrators of war crimes in Syria, namely the Assad regime and its allies, have not so far been held accountable for their actions.
“Since the outbreak of the revolution in March 2011, Syrian women have been at the forefront of the struggle against the Assad regime. They have been actively engaged in anti-regime activities, courageously chanting for freedom, and they helped organize anti-regime demonstrations,” Atassi added.
Atassi said Syrian women participated in the establishment of the local coordination committees and the revolutionary organizations. “Female media activists in Syria have conveyed the voice of the revolution to the world, while female human rights activists have played a great role in documenting abuses and violations by regime forces against demonstrators and peaceful activists.”
“As nurses and doctors, Syrian women helped treat victims of Assad’s war machine in field hospitals. Syrian women have saved the lives of hundreds of Syrians despite working under continuous shelling with rockets and barrel bombs on field hospitals and amid severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment.”
Atassi added that on the political level, Syrian women held prominent positions in the opposition negotiating delegation which participated in the Geneva II conference in early 2014. They are also part of the opposition’s negotiating delegation to the Geneva III talks side by side with representatives of rebel factions, political organizations and civil society movements.
“Despite all the odds, we should not give up hope as the national pride among Syrians has been revived through the recent anti-regime demonstrations which saw the Syrian people return to the forefront chanting for freedom and dignity,” Atassi added.
“Syrian women who have made such huge contributions to the revolution will certainly help shape the present and future of Syria and will reclaim all their rights as they have already assumed leading roles in the political, cultural, social and humanitarian fields.”(Source: Syrian Coalition)
