1. Women War and Work Changing Gender Roles in the Syria Crisis
Syria Crisis Regional Response – MENA
CARE Lebanon Partnership Programme

2. Context - Syria
September 18, 2018

3. Women War and Work Study
- Analysis of Changing Gender Roles in the Syrian Conflict
Recommendations for Gender Programming in Conflict Environments
Research in 4 countries
10 Focus Groups and 15 key informant interviews
September 18, 2018

4. Pre-Conflict Situation of Syrian Women
Women’s legal status officially equal to men
Yet restrictions through religious personal status laws and conservative cultural norms
Access to education good, literacy rate 77%, primary education 96% in 2010
Labor market participation remains low (22%):
40% employment of women in “white collar jobs”
59% employment of women in agricultural sector
55% employement of women in public sector
Female labor market participation often informal
September 18, 2018

5. September 18, 2018

6. Pre-Conflict Situation of Syrian Women
3.5. Million Syrians classified as “rural poor”,65% of them women and girls
Lack of access to land
Restrictions to economic decision making power
Informal and discontinued employment
High dependency of family members
September 18, 2018

7. Women activists at the forefront of the uprising acted as role models
Changing Gender Roles
Women activists at the forefront of the uprising acted as role models
Women assumed additional tasks to support their families/ communities
Daily tasks become more labor intensive and risky as services cut and security situation deteriorates
Men went missing: 12-17% of households are now female-headed
New tasks constitute informal labor, not reflected in official data: labor market participation dropped from 22 t 14%
September 18, 2018

8. Changing Gender Roles
“Women in Syria know they can do anything. But they learned this lesson the hardest way possible.”
Female research participant, Rural Damascus
September 18, 2018

9. Female Syrian Rescue Workers, Civil Defence, Syria (Dara’a)
September 18, 2018

10. Challenges
Increased vulnerability of women in conflict, especially in besieged areas:
Aid dependency
Security risks
Sexual abuse and exploitation
Domestic violence
Early marriage
Marginalization by extremists
Women hardest hit by poverty: Income of female-headed HH 15-32% below income of male-headed HH
Women shoulder double burden: breadwinners and caretakers
September 18, 2018

11. The Situation of Men and Boys
Decreased employment opportunities due to security context, crumbling economy and legal restrictions
Unemployed men take up household chores, engage in small-scale agriculture or petty trade
Where fathers are missing, adolescent boys take up role of breadwinner and head of HH’
Unemployed men face feeling of emasculation
Enhanced risk of marriage tension and domestic violence
September 18, 2018

12. Syrian refugee boys working in petty trade, Jordan
September 18, 2018

13. New role as heads of household enhances decision making power of women
Opportunities
New role as heads of household enhances decision making power of women
Uprising triggered more active women participation in society
Women enjoy better freedom of movement than men
Reversed gender roles open possibility for more gender equality

14. Opportunities
“Women feel strong; they see that ‘they can do it’. Even men say ‘Now the men are women, and the women are men.”
Nuha, female head of household from Dara’a now living in Irbid, Jordan
September 18, 2018

15. Women Demonstration for the End of the Siege on Zabadani, Syria (Rural Damascus)
September 18, 2018

16. Create small-scale livelihoods opportunities for women
Programming Ideas
Offer PSS for women and girls affected by the conflict to cope with trauma and increased stress
Provide educational opportunities and vocational training for women to increase/ adapt their skills
Create small-scale livelihoods opportunities for women
Provide child care to decrease the burden on women
September 18, 2018

17. Offer parallel opportunities for men
Programming Ideas
Open safe spaces for women and design culturally appropriate activities for women
Integrate awareness and social activities into practical skills programmes
Offer parallel opportunities for men
Work in partnership with women-led and women-focused local NGOs
September 18, 2018

18. September 18, 2018
A woman and her children benefitting from a winterization programme, Syria (Hama)

19. Syrian Government: Ensure adherence to women’s rights convention CEDAW
Recommendations
All parties to the conflict: Stop indiscriminate violence against civilians
Syrian Government: Ensure adherence to women’s rights convention CEDAW
Local authorities: Enhance women participation
Host countries:
-Refugee protection
-Provide enabling legal and administrative environment for women’s economic participation
September 18, 2018

20. International community:
Recommendations
International community:
Make Syrian women’s voices heard in negotiation processes and political decision
NGOs:
-Conduct robust assessments to ensure gender sensitive programming
-Invest in sustainable livelihoods and protection programmes targeting women
- Design innovative, potentially gender-transformative programmes
-Partner with local women-NGOs
September 18, 2018

21. Syrian and local women participating in a pastry making course, Lebanon (Tripoli)
September 18, 2018

22. I wish to participate decision making in our society.”
“If I had the ability, first, I would stop the death that is surrounding us. Then, I would think how to compensate all the affection that our children are missing.
If I had the freedom to choose, I would choose a job for my husband first, then a job for myself that can ensure our family’s stability.
I wish to participate decision making in our society.”
Female Research Participant, Rural Damascus
September 18, 2018