The Syrian Future Movement follows with interest and appreciation the statements made by the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Qabawat, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. During a high-level panel discussion on legal identity in Syria\u2014held at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva\u2014she announced that a proposal to grant Syrian citizenship to children of Syrian women married to non-Syrian men has reached the stage of formal approval. She further noted that a committee has been established, chaired by the Ministry of Interior and including representatives from the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments), the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and the State Council, to examine the proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Syrian Future Movement views this announcement as a historic turning point for the rights of women and children in Syria, and as a fundamental step toward ending one of the oldest forms of legal discrimination that Syrian women have endured for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Syrian Future Movement highly values \u200b\u200bthe transitional government\u2019s acknowledgment that the absence of legal documentation “exacerbates the risks of statelessness and the marginalization of children\u2014particularly in situations of displacement or the absence of a father.” It further recognizes that a child\u2019s legal identity “is not merely a piece of paper or an administrative procedure, but the essential gateway to accessing education, healthcare, justice, and social protection.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Syrian Future Movement considers this acknowledgment a decisive break from the legacy of the 1969 Nationality Law, which denied Syrian women the right to pass their citizenship on to their children\u2014a situation that persisted despite Syria\u2019s 2003 ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the principle of equality among citizens enshrined in the Syrian Constitution. The Syrian Future Movement calls for the urgent adoption of this proposal and its publication in the Official Gazette. It urges that the proposal not be delayed or amended in a way that would strip it of its substance; every day that passes without its adoption is a day in which Syrian children are born without a legal identity, deprived of their most fundamental rights\u2014including access to education, healthcare, and a sense of belonging to their homeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Syrian Future Movement reaffirms its consistent positions, as stated on its official website, which have long advocated for the empowerment of Syrian women and the guarantee of their full rights:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In its document titled “Women in Syria,” dated June 4, 2024, the Syrian Future Movement emphasized that “enabling women to secure their rights and establishing the principle of equality in rights and duties” is a core objective. It further asserted that “the effective participation of Syrian women in building a civil, democratic state” is an indispensable prerequisite for constructing a progressive, civilized society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In its foundational paper (36), titled “The Syrian Future Movement and Women,” dated April 7, 2024, the movement underscored the necessity of “providing healthcare services for women and raising awareness regarding sexual and reproductive health,” noting that “women are the focal point and the pillar of the family.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In its document titled “The Syrian Future Movement and Citizens’ Rights,” dated February 1, 2024, the movement affirmed that “every citizen holding Syrian nationality possesses rights and bears duties, without any discrimination or preference based on gender, religion, or nationality.” The Syrian Future Movement considers the recognition of the right of children of Syrian women to acquire citizenship a practical application of these principles, and a genuine reflection of the movement\u2019s commitment to equality and full citizenship. A nation that does not recognize the children of its own daughters is an incomplete nation, and a society in which a child is denied their identity based on their mother\u2019s gender is a society that has yet to reach maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Future Movement believes that while this announcement is significant, it presents fundamental challenges that must be addressed to ensure this achievement does not become merely a superficial victory:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First: The absence of precise figures\u2014the minister herself acknowledged that the ministry “does not yet possess complete data on the number of children affected by the lack of legal documentation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Future Movement maintains that the lack of data hinders the development of any comprehensive national policy. It necessitates an urgent national survey to identify all such cases\u2014conducted in cooperation with international organizations and civil society\u2014because rights cannot be upheld without data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second: The need for comprehensive legislative reform\u2014approving the proposal alone is insufficient. It requires amending the 1969 Nationality Law and lifting reservations regarding Article 9 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)\u2014which concerns nationality\u2014in a manner consistent with the broader Syrian cultural context. Furthermore, it must be ensured that this right is granted automatically and unconditionally, rather than being subject to complex bureaucratic procedures or administrative discretion. Third: Ensuring non-discrimination in implementation \u2013 This right must extend to all children of Syrian women, regardless of the father\u2019s status (whether he is missing, displaced, or unregistered). There should be no distinction based on whether the children were born inside or outside Syria, as any such exception would only perpetuate the very discrimination we seek to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth: Addressing the status of those who have passed childhood \u2013 The Syrian Future Movement asks: What about young people who have reached adulthood without obtaining citizenship? Will the proposal include them, or will they be left outside the scope of a solution? True justice requires a corrective path for those who were denied this right due to legislative delays; it cannot be limited only to those born in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Guided by its national responsibility, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First: Expediting the adoption and immediate publication of the proposal, establishing a clear timeline for its implementation, and ensuring that the right is granted automatically upon proof of maternity\u2014without the need for complex judicial proceedings or the payment of high fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second: Conducting a comprehensive national survey to determine the number of children of Syrian women who are currently deprived of citizenship. This should be carried out in cooperation with UNICEF, the UNHCR, and local organizations, with the findings made public to serve as a foundation for a precise national policy. Third: Amend the 1969 Nationality Law, remove all provisions that discriminate between men and women, and lift reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in a manner consistent with the Constitution, international charters, and the general culture of Syrian society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth: Establish a corrective pathway for those who have passed the age of childhood, allowing them to apply for nationality based on the maternal bond, without any additional requirements beyond proving parentage\u2014in line with the recommendations made by human rights organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fifth: Launch a national awareness campaign, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and civil society organizations, to inform families about their new rights and the procedures for applying for nationality, while ensuring that this information reaches remote areas and displacement camps. Displaced persons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Future Movement welcomes this announcement, which represents a victory for justice and a historic step toward building a state of full citizenship\u2014one that excludes no one based on the nationality of their mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Future Movement reaffirms that the right to nationality is not a favor granted by anyone; rather, it is a fundamental right guaranteed by international charters. A child denied a legal identity is effectively denied their homeland, as well as their right to education, healthcare, and a future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that building a new Syria requires full recognition of women\u2019s rights\u2014not merely through slogans, but through legislation that translates equality into a lived reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For its part, the Syrian Future Movement will continue to support all efforts that advance the rights of women and children. It will remain critical of any delays or discrimination and will monitor progress on the ground, striving toward a new Syria where every Syrian child\u2014regardless of the circumstances of their birth\u2014is a citizen with full rights, belonging to a nation that recognizes and protects them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The significance of the proposal to grant citizenship to children of Syrian women married to non-Syrians, and its impact on legal identity in Syria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":68319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4685,4843],"tags":[4706],"class_list":["post-68321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-office-en","category-legal-office","tag-press-release"],"yoast_head":"\n