Syria’s Women: Navigating Fear And Hope In The Shadow Of Islamist Rule
New Age Islam News Bureau
27 December 2024
· Syria’s Women: Navigating Fear And Hope In The Shadow Of Islamist Rule
· Iran Arrested At Least 644 Women For Hijab Violations In 2024, Rights Group Says
· Afghanistan: A Battle-Scarred Nation At War With Its Women
· Bodies Of About 100 Kurdish Women, Children, Thought To Have Been Killed In The 1980s Found In Iraq Mass Grave
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/syria-women-navigating-islamist-rule/d/134161
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Syria’s women: Navigating fear and hope in the shadow of Islamist rule
26/12/2024
With the rise of Islamist forces backed by Turkey after Bashar al-Assad’s retreat to Russia, the rhetoric and actions of Syria’s new rulers have intensified concerns among women. Obaida Arnaout, spokesperson for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), recently claimed that women, due to their biological nature, are unfit to participate fully in societal and political matters. In response, Syrian women took to the streets in protest. However, reports from Aleppo and beyond reveal that many women have faced threats, sexual assault, and torture at the hands of HTS. Despite this, they remain unwavering in their struggle for their rights, standing firm against the Islamist regime’s oppression.
The Syrian women between pragmatism and policy gaps
In an interview with NuJINHA, Zeynep Ali, a resident of Aleppo (Heleb) and a Syrian women activist, discussed the severe restrictions placed on women by armed groups in the city. Ali explained that HTS use religion to justify the silencing of women who defend their rights, excluding them from the public sphere and treating them as criminals. She emphasised the ongoing violence women face, including arrest and torture. Ali called for urgent action from national and international organisations to protect women’s rights and stressed the pivotal role women and young people play in shaping the future of the country.
She shared the story of a friend, a university student, who was arrested and subjected to psychological abuse for sitting in a park with a male classmate, an event that caused her family to face societal exclusion. Ali also highlighted the plight of a woman who was injured during a protest demanding the release of her family members. Despite the violence and uncertainty, the woman remains committed to the struggle.
Moreover, Syrian women are fearful that the country may follow the path of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where women’s rights were initially promised but later repressed. Susan Zakzak, a member of the Syrian Women’s Association, voiced her deep concern about the uncertainty surrounding women’s futures under this new rule. In an interview, she stressed that, after the fall of the Assad regime, Syrian women will no longer accept being relegated to their “traditional place”. After Iran’s revolution in 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini’s regime swiftly abandoned its promises of freedom and equality, silencing opposition, journalists, and activists. In Syria, HTS’s repression of women activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers suggests a similar prioritisation of control over meaningful reform.
In parallel, Mona Al-Tahawi, a Syrian feminist and author, highlighted the complexity of the situation, questioning whether the fall of Assad alone can liberate Syrian women. She stressed that women’s struggle extends beyond opposing repressive regimes to battling daily oppression embedded in societal norms.
According to her, women are engaged in two parallel revolutions: the first, fighting alongside men against repressive regimes, and the second, resisting the tyranny that extends from the streets to the most intimate spaces, where oppression is imposed on anyone who does not conform to societal standards, regardless of their sexual orientation. “The reckoning with our culture and religion, confronting both despots and Islamists—two sides of the same coin—is rooted in feminism, and it is this foundation that will ultimately lead us to freedom,” she asserted.
The author argued that the revolutionary ideals which falter behind closed doors should ignite a response that transcends mere anger, urging a deeper and more sustained reaction.
NajlaTemo, a Syrian civil activist, highlighted the varied experiences of women across the country, shaped by Syria’s political, economic, and cultural diversity. While HTS claims to offer educational opportunities and female participation in governance, Temo remains deeply sceptical about meaningful progress for women’s rights under its rule. She notes that HTS’s ideological roots fuel fears of ongoing repression, leaving the future of women’s rights in Syria fraught with uncertainty.
Kurdish women promise a better future
Kurds advocating socialism and feminism in northeastern Syria stand in solidarity with Syrian women against the looming threat of a quasi-Islamic government poised to dominate the country’s future. They champion women’s freedom and secular governance, organising rallies across cities to counter regressive ideologies.
On 25 December, representatives from political parties, civil institutions, and women’s movements convened at Al-Jabanat Square in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood to support a statement issued by the Syrian Women’s Council. RawaBakir, Administrative Officer of the Council’s Relations Committee, highlighted the decade-long Syrian crisis, defined by economic collapse, widespread chaos, and systematic violations under the criminal Ba’ath regime. She reflected on the disillusionment that followed the regime’s fall, as initial celebrations of newfound hope were soon eclipsed by renewed turmoil, sectarian conflict, and destabilising acts.
Arefe Bakr, a member of the Syrian Women’s Council, in this regard, addressed the future of women in Syria, particularly in the North and East, stating: “Our ultimate goal is to secure women’s rights and liberate women from all forms of subjugation. This is why the vision for a new Syria holds such profound significance for women. We advocate for the establishment of a democratic, egalitarian, just, peaceful, and decentralized Syria that guarantees the protection of women’s rights.”
Although Mohammed Al-Khalid, a member of the political affairs department in Syria’s transitional government supported by Turkey, sought to downplay the HTS spokesperson’s remarks in a conversation with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, framing them as a misunderstanding, fears of continued repression against women persist. Whether Syria’s next phase will deliver on promises of gender equality or revert to entrenched patterns of exclusion remains uncertain.
Nevertheless, it appears that the social contract model, established and enforced in northeastern Syria, may be the sole guarantee for securing the rights of a secular, feminist, and diverse society in Syria’s future.
Source: medyanews.net
https://medyanews.net/syrias-women-navigating-fear-and-hope-in-the-shadow-of-islamist-rule/
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Iran arrested at least 644 women for hijab violations in 2024, rights group says
27 December 2024
Iranian authorities arrested at least 644 women over alleged improper veiling in 2024, US-based rights group HRANA said in its annual report on human rights violations in Iran released Thursday.
Of these arrests 618 were related to Project Nour, which was launched in April this year by Iranian police and led to increased physical confrontations and crackdowns on women.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202412263018
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Afghanistan: A Battle-Scarred Nation At War With Its Women
27 December 2024
Taliban bans women's bare faces in public | Photo: AP
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A landlocked country in South Asia, Afghanistan was once known for its rich cultural history and cultural diversity. However, over the past four decades, Afghanistan has been embroiled in a protracted conflict, fuelled as much by external interventions as the country’s own internal divisions. The toll of this struggle for power has been millions of lives, a shattered economy, and a displaced population.
Central To “The Great Game”
Afghanistan’s strategic location as the door to South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East has made it a prize for empires throughout history. For the Persian Empire, it was the seat of power from wherein they ruled Asia and later Afghanistan became an important stop along the Silk Road.
In the 19th century, it became the epicentre of the "Great Game" between the British and Russian empires. Afghanistan was the perfect buffer state between British colonies and Russia. After a series of Anglo-Afghan wars, Afghanistan gained its independence in 1919.
The mid-20th century was a stable period for the region, but when the monarchy was overthrown in 1973, and a communist coup in 1978 led to the Soviet invasion in 1979, modern Afghanistan's era of war began anew.
Cold War And Conflict
The Cold War was a huge reason behind Afghanistan’s troubles. In the 1970s, the Soviet Union identified the country’s strategic location, attracting the attention of both global superpowers—USSR and the US. In 1979, on the pretext of supporting its communist allies, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The US retaliated by recruiting, training and arming young men also known as mujahideen fighters. This decade-long conflict, spurred on by the global superpowers, left a ravaged country that rapidly descended into chaos when the Soviets withdrew in 1989. The mujahideen fighters morphed into the Taliban, an extremist organisation that grew to power in the 1990s.
The Taliban’s rule between 1996 to 2001 was known for its oppressive treatment of women and harsh interpretation of Islamic law.
The extremist group’s strict interpretation of Islamic law included suppression of women’s rights, and the destruction of cultural heritage, such as the 2001 destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.
During this time, Afghanistan was home to al-Qaeda and its founder, Osama bin Laden. A wealthy Saudi national, Bin Laden had been involved with the Afghan extremists against the Soviets and reportedly used Afghanistan as a base to launch global terror operations.
In 1998, al-Qaeda bombed of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing over 200 people. The group’s attack on the New York Twin Towers and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, is considered the deadliest terrorist attack in US history, killing 3,000 people.
The Taliban’s refusal to hand over Bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks prompted the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) quickly toppled the Taliban regime. Bin Laden was killed in May 2011 by a US Navy SEAL operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan
Afghanistan At The Heart Of The War on Terror?
The US had aimed to dismantle and oust the Taliban. The early years of the invasion were marked by the establishment of a democratically elected government and the empowerment of women in urban areas. However, the Taliban remained, driven from power but not defeated. The group used their knowledge of Afghanistan’s terrain, the country’s porous borders with Pakistan, and widespread disillusionment with the Kabul government to launch an insurgency. The war was the longest one in US history, with even NATO forces locked in a stalemate. Civilian casualties mounted, and corruption within the Afghan government, fuelled by international aid, further undermined stability.
The 2021 Taliban Resurgence
The invasion of Afghanistan by the US and NATO was one of its longest conflicts, lasting nearly two decades. In 2021, the U.S. announced a withdrawal from Afghanistan. The decision was initially welcomed by war-weary citizens but triggered a rapid offensive from the Taliban, who went on capturing city after city with minimal resistance from Afghan forces. By August, the Taliban had taken Kabul.
Political analysts have said the speed of the Taliban’s advance laid bare the fragility of the US-backed Afghan government. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country almost immediately after the withdrawal. Reports showed that appointed generals gave up their districts to the Taliban with nary a fight. The scenes at Kabul airport, where desperate Afghans clung to planes in a bid to escape, are etched in memory.
During its first months in power, Taliban sought to project a more moderate image to the international community. However, its banning of women and girls from schools and workplaces, and dismantling the free press tell a different story.
The Taliban’s takeover has created one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises. Afghanistan’s infrastructure has been destroyed by years of conflict. The economy was heavily reliant on foreign aid and collapsed after the Taliban’s takeover, as international donors froze funds and imposed sanctions. Nearly half of the population is facing acute hunger. Afghan women’s education and employment opportunities have been stripped away. Reports suggest that Afghanistan’s healthcare system is collapsing. Hospitals are underfunded and understaffed, struggling to cope with a surge in malnutrition and disease outbreaks.
The international community’s response to the Taliban’s return has been fractured. While some countries, such as China and Russia, have engaged with the Taliban regime, others remain cautious. The lack of a unified approach has left Afghanistan isolated, its people paying the price for the world’s indecision.
Source: outlookindia.com
https://www.outlookindia.com/international/afghanistan-a-battle-scarred-nation-at-war-with-its-women-never-ending-wars
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Bodies Of About 100 Kurdish Women, Children, Thought To Have Been Killed In The 1980s Found In Iraq Mass Grave
December 27, 2024
TAL AL-SHAIKHIA, Iraq: Iraqi authorities are working to exhume the remains of around 100 Kurdish women and children thought to have been killed in the 1980s under former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein, three officials said.
The grave was discovered in Tal Al-Shaikhia in the Muthanna province in southern Iraq, about 15-20 kilometers (10-12 miles) from the main road there, an AFP journalist said.
Specialized teams began exhuming the grave earlier this month after it was initially discovered in 2019, said Diaa Karim, the head of the Iraqi authority for mass graves, adding that it is the second such grave to be uncovered at the site.
“After removing the first layer of soil and the remains appearing clearly, it was discovered that they all belonged to women and children dressed in Kurdish springtime clothes,” Karim told AFP on Wednesday.
He added that they likely came from Kalar in the northern Sulaimaniyah province, part of what is now Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, estimating that there were “no less than 100” people buried in the grave.
Efforts to exhume all the bodies are ongoing, he said, adding that the numbers could change.
Following Iraq’s deadly war with Iran in the 1980s, Saddam’s government carried out the ruthless “Anfal Operation” between 1987 and 1988 in which it is thought to have killed around 180,000 Kurds.
Saddam was toppled in 2003 following a US-led invasion of Iraq and was hanged three years later, putting an end to Iraqi proceedings against him on charges of genocide over the Anfal campaign.
Karim said a large number of the victims found in the grave “were executed here with live shots to the head fired at short range.”
He suggested some of them may have been “buried alive” as there was no evidence of bullets in their remains.
Ahmed Qusai, the head of the excavation team for mass graves in Iraq, meanwhile pointed to “difficulties we are facing at this grave because the remains have become entangled as some of the mothers were holding their infants” when they were killed.
DurghamKamel, part of the authority for exhuming mass graves, said another mass grave was found at the same time that they began exhuming the one at Tal Al-Shaikhia.
He said the burial site was located near the notorious Nugrat Al-Salman prison where Saddam’s authorities held dissidents.
The Iraqi government estimates that about 1.3 million people disappeared between 1980 and 1990 as a result of atrocities and other rights violations committed under Saddam.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2584419/middle-east
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/syria-women-navigating-islamist-rule/d/134161