The Syrian Future Movement, as a national political movement committed to building the future of Syria on the foundations of social justice and human rights, follows social and humanitarian developments in the country with deep concern and a sense of historical responsibility.
In the context of a comprehensive recovery from the devastating effects of the war that has impacted all segments of Syrian society and left millions of victims and disabled individuals, the Movement comments on the news published on January 12, 2026, regarding the launch of a joint government program between the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs and Labor in the Syrian Arab Republic.
This program aims to improve services for people with disabilities and support war victims by organizing health associations according to precise technical standards, evaluating them based on their effectiveness and efficiency, and involving them in sustainable development projects.
The program also includes providing comprehensive physical and psychological support to war victims, addressing addiction issues resulting from psychological stress, and combating the phenomenon of begging associated with disability. This initiative is under the leadership of Minister of Health Musab Al-Ali and Minister of Social Affairs Hind Qabawat, with a clear emphasis on establishing open dialogue platforms to address the concerns of those affected and listen to their opinions directly.
The Syrian Future Movement welcomes this step as a positive first step towards rebuilding the social services system in Syria. We also call for strengthening the role of civil society in ensuring transparency and accountability, believing that such programs should be part of a national consensus document that includes all political and social forces to achieve sustainable civil peace.
The Syrian Future Movement recognizes the potential challenges during the implementation phase, such as the lack of financial and logistical resources, and the wide gaps in medical and rehabilitation care, especially in rural and remote areas like Raqqa and eastern Syria, where people with disabilities have suffered from a long history of neglect. Recent international reports, including those issued by the United Nations, indicate that the percentage of people affected by disability as a result of the war in Syria may reach 30% of the population, making this issue a humanitarian crisis as well as a national challenge that requires a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond piecemeal measures.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the importance of learning from the experiences of other countries that have undergone similar armed conflicts, in order to draw precise lessons in supporting war victims and ensuring their integration into the reconstruction process. This must be done while adopting these experiences from a Syrian national perspective that avoids past mistakes, such as excessive reliance on foreign aid without building independent local capacities.
In Ukraine, since the beginning of the conflict in 2022, organized international aid has contributed to reforming the support system for people with disabilities through projects such as “Rehab4U,” launched by Project HOPE in 2024. This initiative focused on building a sustainable rehabilitation system that included training medical personnel, establishing specialized centers, and conducting national awareness campaigns to combat social stigma. This led to the integration of thousands of wounded individuals into society and their achievement of economic independence through inclusive employment and psychosocial support programs (MHPSS).
ADRA Ukraine also contributed to providing wheelchairs and assistive devices to thousands of people with disabilities during the conflict, with a focus on reaching remote areas. This reduced rates of social isolation and contributed to strengthening community stability despite ongoing economic challenges.
Therefore, we call for the implementation of a similar model in Syria, with specific budgets allocated for vocational training and the integration of technology in rehabilitation to ensure the sustainability of the results.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for learning from the experience of Sri Lanka, which suffered a decades-long civil war that ended in 2009. Post-conflict efforts focused on engaging local organizations in Community Rehabilitation (CBR), as exemplified by the Humanity & Inclusion (HI) programs, which began in 1992 and expanded after the 2004 tsunami to include the economic inclusion of people with disabilities through inclusive employment projects, training for civil society organizations, and awareness programs against social discrimination.
These efforts led to the sustainability of services despite economic challenges, with a focus on women and children with disabilities. This contributed to a significant reduction in poverty rates among these groups through inclusive agriculture projects and vocational training. However, the Sri Lankan experience revealed shortcomings, such as insufficient support for civilians with disabilities outside the context of former combatants, leading to gaps in care. This is a lesson Syria must avoid by expanding the program to include all victims without discrimination.
The Syrian Future Movement also calls for learning from Sierra Leone’s experience. Following a civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002, leaving tens of thousands amputees and disabled, the integration of people with disabilities into peacebuilding processes through the DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) program significantly reduced social discrimination. The UN-administered program reintegrated over 70,000 former combatants, including children, soldiers, and people with disabilities, through vocational training, education in mathematics, computer skills, and languages, and community-based psychosocial support. This helped rebuild communities and reduce crime rates stemming from neglect. The Humanitarian Relief Foundation (HI) also contributed to mental health and economic inclusion projects, training healthcare professionals to address war-related disabilities. This improved access to education and employment for people with disabilities, despite persistent poverty.
This model highlights the importance of community oversight and support for vulnerable groups such as women and children, but it also reveals challenges like cultural stigma, which Syria must address through national awareness campaigns.
The Syrian Future Movement believes in an ambitious vision for the future that focuses on the comprehensive and sustainable inclusion of people with disabilities and victims of war in the process of building the new Syria. We propose that the program include sustainable funding through international partnerships, intensive training for medical and social workers, and transparent oversight mechanisms to prevent corruption or exploitation.The dangers of political neglect were highlighted, as disability in Syria has become a “hidden crisis” requiring a reimagining of transitional justice to include comprehensive reparations and access to services.
The Syrian Future Movement reaffirms its commitment to supporting vulnerable groups, considering the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities fundamental to a unified, prosperous, and stable Syria. We call upon all Syrian and international parties to work collectively towards a future that restores dignity to Syrians and builds a just society that embraces everyone without exception.
