On January 16th, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa hosted the 8th online meeting of the WPS informal network titled “Pathways to Inclusive Peacebuilding: Women’s Role in a Reimagined Syria”, focusing on the Syrianled inclusive political transition and the inclusion of women and minorities for justice and long-term stability. The meeting was attended by over 60 participants.
The Institute’s Director, Ann Måwe, moderated the discussion. She emphasized Sweden’s long-term commitment to humanitarian and development efforts in Syria, with a particular focus on gender equality and women’s meaningful participation. She also highlighted Sweden’s election as President of the UN Women Executive Board in 2025, noting this as another opportunity to support women’s empowerment, especially this year marking the 25th anniversary of the WPS agenda and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action.
Three prominent speakers shared unique perspectives to kick off the discussions:
Abir Haj Ibrahim focused on local reconciliation efforts in Syria, highlighting the critical role of women in grassroots peacebuilding, overcoming cultural barriers, and addressing local grievances despite ongoing security threats.
Mahwash Shekhy discussed the contributions of Syrian women, especially Kurdish women, to the revolution, the challenges they face in peacebuilding, and the role of international actors in supporting the participation of women and minorities. She also addressed concerns from other regional powers regarding developments in northeastern Syria. Kelly Petillo provided the EU’s perspective, noting Europe’s longstanding support for women in Syria, particularly their participation in the Geneva process. She observed a decline in this support under the Astana process and emphasized the need for clear demands on women’s rights with the new interim government.
Read the full report on Pathways to Inclusive Peacebuilding: Women’s Role in a Reimagined Syria
