Sit at the table
“Syrian women have the right to participate fully and meaningfully in determining the future of the country,” She said. “They led and sacrificed for survival, justice and equality during more than a decade of conflict.”
She noted that while six women were elected to 119 contested seats in the new transitional Popular Assembly, “the proportion of women is inconsistent with the social and political role that Syrian women have long played,” according to the Supreme Committee for Elections.
He urged authorities to “design future electoral processes to protect their legitimate right to participate and maximize opportunities for their representation.”
Women’s participation is not symbolic but “a prerequisite for the rule of law and equality” in any post-conflict situationRochdi highlighted.
Broader political situation
Turning to the broader political picture, the Deputy Special Envoy described the October 5 indirect elections for the transitional legislature as “largely peaceful,” although marred by insufficient representation of women and minorities and reports of opaque proceedings.
He said the UN had not been involved but had “advised the importance of transparency and inclusion”.
He also urged the lifting of economic sanctions “in a larger and faster scale to give this transition a chance to succeed”, saying that “monumental levels of tangible support from the international community will be needed.”
Humanitarian crisis
On the humanitarian front, Ramesh Rajasingham of the U.N. aid coordination office said more than 70 percent of Syrians still need help, and the U.N. response plan is only 19 percent funded, one of the lowest among major global appeals.
Without additional funding, agencies will have to reduce their services by January, he warned, noting that more than 340 health centers have already suspended their services, cutting off access to more than seven million people.
Rajasingham called on ambassadors and the broader international community to act urgently.
“Syria has a viable path to a Syrian-led recovery, supported by development partners,” said. “But getting there will require decisive and sustained action by the international community, including maintaining the flow of critical humanitarian aid as these efforts progress.”