Syria: The dark horizon for women's rights

Fatimah Abdulrahman Ismail, a mother of three, never imagined that her desperate attempt to put bread on her table would end in tragedy. In 2022, while trying to "smuggle" fuel between territories controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Syrian National Army, Fatimah was gunned down at a checkpoint. His crime: seeking a profit of three Turkish lira on the fuel price difference. This brutal murder is not an isolated case but a reflection of an atrocious reality that women have already experienced under the yoke of HTS in Syria.

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the main urgency was to achieve the formation of an interim government that would put an end, at least for the time being, to the possibility of new outbreaks of violence in the struggle for power. The HTS, led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, succeeded just a few days after the capture of Damascus, the Syrian capital.

The new government, headed by Mohammed al-Bashir, includes the participation of former members of the former Assad regime and key HTS figures, a transition that has been presented as an opportunity for reconstruction but which raises serious concerns about the future of women's rights in the country. This dissimilar coalition, far from offering hope, seems to threaten to plunge Syrian women into even deeper darkness.

While Al-Jolani and his organization have attempted to project a moderate image in search of international legitimacy, their black record in the areas under their control reveals a very different reality. In Idlib province, women live under draconian restrictions typical of an Islamic fundamentalist regime: mandatory dress codes, limitations on access to education and work, and severe restrictions on their freedom of movement. Promises of respect for individual freedoms clash head-on with documented repression of human rights activists and defenders.

Under the Assad regime, Syrian women already faced systemic discrimination, but there were indeed no government policies explicitly restricting their dress or segregating them from public spaces. With HTS as a key player in the new government, there is a real risk that even these limited rights might be removed under the guise of preserving "traditional values."

The possible internal struggle within HTS between moderate and radical factions adds another layer of uncertainty. If the more extremist elements prevail, we could witness an even greater crackdown on women as a way of consolidating the group's ideological control.

The fall of the al-Assad regime has unleashed a wave of celebration among Syrians, both within the country and in refugee communities around the world. From Damascus to European cities, thousands took to the streets to celebrate, rekindling the hopes of millions of refugees yearning to return to their homeland.

However, this initial enthusiasm may be premature. The situation in Syria remains extremely fragile, with a devastated economy and much of its infrastructure in ruins after 13 years of civil war have left 95% of the population living below the poverty line, where 15 million people rely on humanitarian aid to subsist. In addition, the rise to power of radical Islamist groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham raises serious questions about the country's political future and respect for human rights.

In this context, what can Syrian women expect? With millions depending on humanitarian aid after years of conflict and systematic violence, any further setbacks to their rights could be catastrophic. The international community must demand concrete guarantees for the protection of human rights, especially those of women. However, given the current composition of the government and the track record of HTS, there is little reason for optimism. Rebuilding Syria and establishing a stable government that respects human rights will be long and complex processes. So, while the fall of al-Assad marks a historic milestone, celebrating a definitive victory at this point may be hasty. International vigilance and pressure will be crucial to prevent Syria from sinking further into the darkness of gender oppression.

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