Monday 9 March 2015

On International Women’s Day, Syrian women face a war seeking to rob them of their rights and existence

ISIS-women-sex slave
Damascus, SANA
For the fourth year in a row, the International Women’s Day comes as the crisis in Syria is laying heavy burdens on the Syrian society, with an extremist and intolerant mentality attempting to rewind time to the stone age, and this same mentality is seeking to rob women of their rights and threatening their very existence.
In some Syrian areas where terrorist organizations are running amok and imposing their dark mentality on all aspects of life, women are becoming victims of various forms of transgressions including physical and psychological violence, which promoted the government to make extra efforts to protect women in these areas and deal with the ramifications of the trauma they experienced.
In this regard, several governmental and civilian organizations worked to further empower women economically and socially. One of these organizations is the Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs, and the Syrian International Society for Protecting Women War Victims, the latter having worked to help women affected by terrorism and specifically those who fled to camps in neighboring countries where they are subjected to various forms of violence.
The crisis spawned new cases of violations against women in Syria. Lawyer Maha al-Ali says that Syrian women are now falling victim to human trafficking, sexual abuse, and forced labor, with the international community standing idle instead of cooperating with Syria to curb these phenomena.
Despite the attempts by terrorists to spread their venomous misogynistic influences, Syrian women continue to work either individually or through organized social initiatives to help other women overcome the negative effects of the crisis.
Activist Sawsan Ali said that Syrian women have sacrificed much during the crisis, with many losing loved one including parents, husbands, and children, yet Syrian women continue to play their role in defending their country and supporting the army in its battle against terrorism.
Hazem Sabbagh
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
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