The joint delegation of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) and Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) to the United States met the UN Women on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. The two sides discussed the latest developments on the ground and in the political process in Syria.
The meeting brought together SOC’s Vice-president Ruba Habboush, SOC’s member Dima Moussa, the SOC’s representative in Washington Qutaiba Idilbi, and the SOC’s representative to the United Nations Maryam Chalabi.
The joint delegation met Chief of Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action at UN Women Paivi Kannisto and Deputy Chief of Peace and Security Sarah Douglas.
The joint delegation gave an overview on the suffering and sacrifices of Syrian women and their significant role in the Syrian Revolution and the opposition to the Assad regime. They pointed out that the Assad regime had killed tens of thousands of women in its military operations on Syrian cities and towns since 2011 as well as arrested and forcibly disappeared tens of thousands of women and killed many of them under torture. The delegation also cited the regime’s use of sexual violence and rape in its prisons as a method to humiliate everyone who revolted against his oppression, tyranny and terrorism.
The joint delegation called for serious international action to release thousands of female detainees from the regime’s prisons and to disclose the fate of the forcibly disappeared. They also called for effective action to solve the problem of the displaced, most of whom are women and children.
The joint delegation also gave an overview on the situation of Syrian women in Syria and abroad, highlighting their leading political role at the national level. The two sides discussed the importance of exchanging ideas with the UN Women on increasing the representation of women in political work and enhancing their role and work in public affairs.
For its part, the delegation of the UN Women highlighted some of its experiences in many conflict areas around the world. It also spoke about the role of the UN Women in peace negotiations in some of those regions.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
