Economic Empowerment of Syrian Women

Economic empowerment of women refers to the process that enables women to move from a position of lower economic power in society to one of higher economic power. This is achieved through increased control over key economic and financial resources, such as wages, capital, and tangible assets, thereby granting them direct financial independence.

In Syria, the economic, social, and political empowerment of women has become a national priority, especially following the peaceful and then military popular movement, and the subsequent regional fragmentation of the country into four regions with diverse economic incomes.

It is worth noting that several modest national initiatives have been launched to empower Syrian women across all regions of Syria. These initiatives aim to expand employment opportunities for women, ensure equal opportunities in various sectors, including the private sector, increase their participation in business, and promote a culture of entrepreneurship among women. Economic empowerment of women is considered a fundamental human right and contributes to sustainable development and enhancing the role of women in society.

Recognizing the importance of women’s roles in building society, and believing in their ability to effectively participate and innovate in various economic, cultural, social, and political aspects of life, studies have been conducted on the economic empowerment of women in Syria. These studies aim to understand the reality of women’s economic life, the opportunities available for them to enter the labor market, and to highlight the difficulties and challenges they face. Despite these studies, Syrian women continue to suffer from marginalization and discrimination on various levels and face difficulties in obtaining job opportunities, training, and capacity building. Therefore, economic empowerment is crucial by providing decent job opportunities and enhancing their participation in economic life, which can achieve sustainable development and strengthen the role of women in society.

Challenges to Women’s Empowerment

Women in Syria face significant challenges due to difficult political and humanitarian conditions, primarily war and displacement. Women suffer from forced displacement, loss of loved ones, and live in temporary shelter camps. Additionally, gender-based violence poses challenges related to domestic and sexual violence, discrimination, and marginalization. Women face limited job and educational opportunities and challenges in accessing basic services. Political participation is limited, and despite their efforts, Syrian women have not achieved real representation in political decisions, except in eastern regions under compulsory conditions, necessitating a separate social study.

Despite these challenges, Syrian women continue to work and participate in economic, social, and political life, striving for change and empowerment. Therefore, it is essential to help women overcome these difficulties and achieve economic and social empowerment in Syria through several steps, including:

• Enhancing education and training by providing high-quality educational opportunities for women, encouraging them to develop their skills, and learning new skills.
• Empowering women economically by providing appropriate job opportunities and training, encouraging participation in the private sector, and entrepreneurship.
• Combating gender-based violence by raising awareness about women’s rights and addressing domestic and sexual violence.
• Enhancing political participation by supporting women’s involvement in political decisions and representing them in government and community institutions.
• Promoting cultural and social awareness and encouraging dialogue on equality issues and changing cultural norms that limit women’s progress.

Achieving Women’s Economic Empowerment

To achieve economic empowerment for women in difficult circumstances like wars, effective practices can be adopted, such as strengthening national institutions’ capacities and providing gender-sensitive services focused on economic empowerment. Additionally, enhancing decent job opportunities, addressing structural causes of inequality, providing job opportunities for women, and promoting entrepreneurship by reducing structural barriers and creating supportive environments for women.

Examples of implementing practices to achieve women’s economic empowerment in countries with similar social positions include Saudi Arabia, which has implemented reforms to remove barriers to women’s work and participation in the economy. These reforms include wage equality and improving women’s mobility, leading to increased participation in the workforce. In Lebanon, there is clear and significant cooperation with “UN Women” through vocational training, personal skills development, and job opportunities to support women’s employability. These efforts include professional integration and support for entrepreneurship.

There are many experiences and research highlighting women’s roles in various sectors. A World Bank report shows that increasing women’s labor force participation to equal men can lead to increased GDP in many countries. The quality of jobs available to women plays a crucial role in empowering them, as stable, decent, and safe jobs contribute to achieving gender equality. McKinsey’s 2023 report on women in the workplace highlights challenges women face in obtaining appropriate and fair representation in various jobs and emphasizes gender differences in the career ladder. Additionally, McKinsey’s report on women in work in the Middle East confirms the importance of increasing women’s participation in professional and technical jobs to enhance economic growth in the region.

Conclusion

Economic empowerment of women is the foundation for their political, social, and cultural empowerment. An independent income for women holds significant importance, granting them financial independence and reducing the impact of heritage and physical and verbal violence. Therefore, at the Economic Office of the Syrian Future Movement, we believe in the need to enhance the legislative framework, provide job opportunities, and increase women’s participation in the workforce to achieve comprehensive empowerment. We believe that economic empowerment of women contributes to achieving sustainable development and enhancing their role in society. Hence, we recommend contributing to women’s economic empowerment as a first step towards complete social and political empowerment.

Inas Nasr Al-Din
Economic Office
Research and Studies Department
Syrian Future Movement

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