29 October 2024
In Syria, thousands of families are haunted by the enforced disappearance of relatives, used as a psychological weapon by multiple parties in the conflict. Women face very specific challenges where the consequences of the disappearance of family members and the exposure to violence are combined with earlier forms of gendered social injustice, a patriarchal legal system, financial and care responsibilities, and financial exploitation. The impact on mental well-being is immense.
For years under such an impossible situation, Syrian women have joined forces and created powerful grassroots alternatives to systemic oppression.
Working closer with Syrian civil society organisation Women Now for Development (WND) — an intersectional feminist network composed of four organisations led by Syrian women— we learnt how participatory and transformative methods can empower women and girls on the ground.
Read our policy brief: Integrating MHPSS in Syria“We are all striving for justice, and, in my opinion, justice begins with healing from trauma,” — Yusra Haidar, Centre Manager at Release Me
By strengthening their mental health and resilience, Syrian women and girls overcome trauma, contribute to women-led movements, assume leadership and advocacy roles, and enrich feminist knowledge production both nationally and internationally towards more just and democratic societies.
“Our approach to providing psychological support to victims’ and survivors’ groups that aims at strengthening their advocacy work, have emerged from the genuine need for these services to support women leadership in the justice and accountability discourse.” — Shaimaa Al-Hazwani, Protection Coordinator with WND
On this International Day of Care and Support, WND shares their views and ground-breaking work supporting the mental health needs of survivors. In this video entirely co-designed and co-produced with WND, we unpack further the narrative about the reparative power of care and the importance of mental healthcare to fostering justice.