Civil Status Law Project

The Syrian Future Movement is following with great interest the report published on Monday, August 3, 2026, regarding the Syrian government’s intention to draft a new civil status law. This law aims to address outstanding issues related to citizenship and restore legal identity to millions of Syrians who have lost their documents or been unable to prove their lineage due to decades of systematic neglect and marginalization.

This initiative comes at a time when field data indicates that the civil documentation crisis in Syria has reached unprecedented levels.

According to a field assessment conducted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and completed in December 2025, which included 1,200 families in nine Syrian governorates, 62% of families lack civil identification documents, while 61% lack official property ownership documents. This percentage rises to 80% among those who have returned since December 2024.

The Syrian Future Movement notes that the move towards issuing a new civil status law carries three main implications:

First, it represents an official acknowledgment of the magnitude of the identity crisis afflicting millions of Syrians. This crisis is not limited to administrative matters but extends to hindering citizens’ enjoyment of their fundamental rights to education, healthcare, employment, housing, freedom of movement, and access to justice.

Civil identity is not merely a document; it is the foundation upon which citizenship, the rule of law, and trust between the individual and the state are built.

Second: It indicates a growing awareness that addressing the issue of citizenship and identity is a prerequisite for the success of any political transition or economic recovery. Investment cannot be attracted, reconstruction cannot take place, and refugees cannot be encouraged to return without a legal system that guarantees recognition of the individual, their rights, and their property.

Third: It reflects a commitment to overcoming the legacy of decades of discrimination and exclusion. The previous Syrian state governed according to an authoritarian model based on discrimination and exclusion, producing a reality of “citizens of varying degrees.”

We see in the new draft law an opportunity to redefine the relationship between the state and the citizen on the basis of rights and dignity, not on the basis of political loyalty or sectarian affiliation.

In this context, the Syrian Future Movement reiterates its consistent positions, published on its official website, which emphasize the priority of restoring the legal identity of Syrians and establishing the principles of equal citizenship:

• The article “The Crisis of Identity and Property in Syria” (dated July 1, 2026): In it, we discussed the political and legal roots of the civil documentation crisis and presented a comprehensive vision encompassing judicial independence, the resolution of real estate disputes, digital transformation, and gender equality.
• The article “Building National Identity on the Foundations of Rights and Citizenship” (dated March 19, 2026): In it, we affirmed that building a comprehensive national identity requires a radical reform of the legal system and the repeal of all exceptional and discriminatory laws that have legitimized violations and exclusion.
• The statement “Launching the ‘Civil Affairs’ Application” (dated June 21, 2026): In it, we commended the Ministry of Interior’s efforts in digitizing civil registry services and emphasized that automating administrative services contributes to reducing corruption and nepotism and restoring trust between citizens and the state.

The Syrian Future Movement believes that enacting a new civil status law, while important, is insufficient on its own to address the identity crisis. A fundamental solution to several challenges is required:

• The scale of the crisis: The fact that 62% of families suffer from a lack of civil identity documents reflects the magnitude of the tragedy and necessitates a comprehensive national strategy that goes beyond the legal framework to include practical, on-the-ground implementation mechanisms.
• The gap between law and reality: The Syrian experience is replete with laws that theoretically guarantee citizens’ rights, but these remain mere words on paper in the absence of the political and institutional will to implement them.
• The complexities of war and displacement: Millions of Syrians lost their documents during displacement or were born in areas lacking civil registry services, requiring exceptional mechanisms to restore their identities.
• Technical and digital challenges: While the launch of the “Civil Affairs” application is a positive step, a complete digital transformation requires a sophisticated infrastructure, trained personnel, and robust cybersecurity measures.

Based on its national responsibility to oversee the process of building the state and its institutions, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:

1. Ensuring that the new law is comprehensive and modern, not only addressing current problems but also laying the foundations for a future integrated digital civil system that guarantees easy access to services for all Syrians without discrimination.
2. Linking the draft law to digital transformation plans, similar to the Ministry of Interior’s previous commitment to digitizing all civil registry services, with a clear timeline for completing this plan.
3. Launching a national identity documentation campaign targeting the most vulnerable groups, especially internally displaced persons, returnees, and refugees, to facilitate their access to civil documents, while simplifying procedures and reducing bureaucracy.
4. Strengthening oversight and transparency mechanisms to ensure that the new law does not become a tool for discrimination or exclusion, and to guarantee the rights of all Syrians regardless of their affiliations.
5. Benefiting from international experiences and local expertise in the field of civil documentation regularization, while taking into account the specific circumstances of Syria and the challenges imposed by years of war and displacement.

The Syrian Future Movement appreciates this governmental approach to reforming the civil registry system, viewing it as a step in the right direction towards restoring the legal identity of millions of Syrians and establishing the foundations of equal citizenship.

We also affirm that civil identity is a fundamental right guaranteed by international conventions and national constitutions, and that restoring this right is an indispensable condition for the success of the transitional phase and the building of a new Syria.

The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that the issue of identity and citizenship is a national issue par excellence, requiring close cooperation between the government, civil society, and international organizations to ensure that no Syrian is left behind.

The new Syria we aspire to is a Syria of equal citizenship, where every citizen has the right to their rights. Restoring his legal identity, which grants him his rights and defines his duties, and reclaiming the dignity that has been stripped from him for decades.

The Syrian Future Movement will remain a supporter of all that strengthens citizenship rights and legal identity, a critic of all that hinders the achievement of justice and equality, and a monitor of all that is accomplished on the ground, striving for a new Syria where the rule of law prevails and human dignity is protected.