Attachments
OVERVIEW
Fourteen years since its onset, Syria continues to grapple with one of the world’s largest and most protracted humanitarian crises. Changes in government since December 2024 have exacerbated the effects of protracted displacement, ongoing hostilities, economic crisis, and climate impacts, resulting in extremely high levels of humanitarian need. More than 16 million people – over 70% of Syria’s population – are in need of humanitarian assistance, and seven million people are displaced across the country.
Women and girls are, as has long been the case, facing the worst consequences of these intersecting political, social, and economic crises, including multiple and increasing forms of gender-based violence (GBV). They experience a wide range of violence on a daily basis – including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, and economic violence – and are consistently denied access to rights, opportunities, and services. Nowhere is safe, with violence occurring in homes, public places, and digital and online platforms. Their freedom of movement is severely curtailed. Restrictive and discriminatory social and gender norms underpin this violence, which is exacerbated by displacement, economic hardship, and insecurity.
While the change in government of 8 December, 2024 has led to some optimism and the consequent return of many displaced families to their homes – more than 1 million displaced people have returned from other areas inside Syria, while some 400,000 have returned from neighboring countries2 – women and girls have linked these political changes to deteriorating safety and increased levels of GBV.
Those who remain displaced face overcrowding, lack of basic infrastructure and services, and extremely poor living conditions, which continue to expose women and girls to heightened risks of GBV. Many displaced families are unable to return to their areas of origin due to the destruction of infrastructure and basic services, particularly in areas heavily affected by conflict. The decline in humanitarian funding has further limited reconstruction efforts, making return unfeasible for many, especially female-headed households and families with persons with disabilities.
In these times of crisis, GBV programming remains an essential and lifesaving intervention. Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces (WGSS) are often the only place that they can feel truly safe and free to express themselves and seek much-needed support. GBV prevention activities are contributing to increased awareness of key services among women and girls and community-level shifts in attitudes towards violence.
This brief outlines key findings and recommendations from Syrian women and girls themselves about the violence they face, their access to GBV services and other humanitarian assistance, and their recommendations for humanitarian actors. It aims to influence the design and implementation of humanitarian response in Syria in this pivotal moment, in order to meet the needs and priorities of women and girls