International Women’s Day: NPWJ and SWN pay tribute to the courage of Syrian Women

8 Mar, 2014 | Press Releases

Gaziantep, Turkey, 8 March 2014
On the occasion of the International Women’s Day (IWD), No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Syrian Women’s Network (SWN) are convening today in Gaziantep, Turkey, a press conference under the title “8 March 2014 for Syrian Women: free from violence, free to build democracy”.Syrian women and children have been a primary target of the escalating violence since the inception of the Syrian uprising. In March 2011, the torture and killing of several young students, who were arrested for writing anti-government graffiti in the city of Daraa, triggered the revolt. Since then, women and children have borne the brunt of the abuses and human rights violations committed in Syria, including rape and other sexual- and gender-based violence, forced displacement, starvation and city blockades.

It is of critical importance that those who had suffered the most since March 2011 be heard and that women’s perspectives recognised as fundamental elements for the future of Syria, least they will face further repression by being silenced and further segregated by the dynamics of war.

The press conference will be a concrete tribute to the courage of the Syrian women and their significant role in the non-violent movement for a free, inclusive and democratic Syria and will send a message of support and gratitude to the Syrian women involved at so many levels – humanitarian, civic, political – to end the current brutal war and bring peace, accountability and reconciliation to Syria.

Venue and time:
The Press conference will take place on Saturday 8 March 2014, at 10:00 am, in Teymur Continental Hotel (Gazimuhtarpaşa Bul.9. Cd. No: 33 Şehitkamil , Gaziantep)

Speakers:

  • Dima Haj Hussein, No Peace Without Justice, Syria Project
  • Rua Al Taweel, Syrian Women’s Network
  • Zoya Boustan, Syrian Women’s Network

NPWJ’s Syria Project on Justice and Accountability
NPWJ project aims at reducing the expectation and rewards of impunity and at building a culture of accountability. The purpose is to equip citizens to demand accountability and justice for violations taking place on a daily basis for the past two and a half years and, at the same time, to equip the judiciary and legal profession to answer that demand.
The mainstay of the project is a series of advocacy and training events, which are being held in Gaziantep, Turkey, near the Syrian border, with Syrian judges, lawyers and civil society activists from Syria who can bring the skills and (perhaps more importantly) aspirations for justice back to their work and their constituents inside Syria.
The long-term goal of this project is to promote democracy and human rights protection through incorporating justice and accountability in decision-making on conflict resolution and stability, development, and reconstructing planning in Syria.

Recent events

For further information, contact Hadi Al-Khateeb on hadi@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3915.

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