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Dear Readers, Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis. Uproar Over Syria Refugees Perfect ‘ISIS Propaganda’ As controversy continues in the United States around the resettlement of Syrian refugees, Syria Deeply asked a former U.S. ambassador to Syria to help us make sense of the U.S.’s stance toward refugees coming from the war-torn country and whether or not increased restrictions serve American interests. Fear of Checkpoints Spreads in Damascus As the war in Syria continues, residents in Damascus say more and more young men are being detained at government checkpoints throughout the capital, in what some fear may be part of a campaign to replenish Bashar al-Assad’s diminished fighting force. Poverty Pushing War Widows Toward Foreign Fighters Driven from their homes by fighting, often with children to care for and with no husband to provide protection, women bereaved by the civil war have severely limited choices in seeking security – especially when local tradition means that many Syrian men are opposed to marrying widows. More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply Expert Roundup on Riyadh’s Opposition Conference Riyadh’s Opposition Talks: a Potemkin Process? The Aleppo Project: Imaging Reconstruction Amid War Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org. You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.

On December 9, the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, in cooperation with InterAction, held an event on sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in the Syrian conflict. Speakers included Sussan Tahmasebi from the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), Ambassador Steven Steiner from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and Cindy Dyer from Vital Voices. Shabnam Mojtahedi, SJAC’s Legal and Strategy Analyst, moderated the panel after first explaining the impetus behind SJAC’s recent report, Societal Attitudes toward SGBV in Syria.

In Spring 2015, SJAC commissioned the Syria Research and Evaluation Organization (SREO) to conduct a qualitative survey into Syrians’ perceptions of SGBV in the conflict. The report was part of SJAC’s series examining Syrian perceptions on a variety of transitional justice topics. The event at InterAction highlighted the key findings of the report and brought together expert panelists to discuss SGBV responses.

Jessica Lenz, InterAction’s GBV Working Group facilitator, opened the event, then turned the floor to Mojtahedi who gave an overview of SJAC, its work on documenting violations of SGBV, and key findings of the report. She first highlighted the primary challenges of collecting information about Syrian perceptions regarding SGBV. As for findings, Mojtahedi explained that almost all respondents believed that SGBV, while existing prior to the conflict, had spiked in the post-conflict period, primarily due to abuses in Syrian government detention facilities. Respondents were mixed on whether male or female survivors of SGBV would need more support, but generally believed that each group would suffer in different ways. As for attitudes toward justice, Mojtahedi explained that although respondents mentioned justice as a tool, they also expressed pessimism regarding whether trials would be possible; thus, many respondents emphasized psychosocial support and awareness campaigns as alternate means to combat SGBV in the absence of available justice mechanisms.

Mojtahedi next turned to the panelists to elaborate on their areas of expertise. In response to whether prosecutions and other justice initiatives can contribute to increased awareness of SGBV within communities, Dyer explained the three purposes of justice: rehabilitation, punishment, and deterrence. Victims, Dyer said, are often not the ones demanding justice, however, because they would rather return to normalcy and avoid the stigma and shame of the abuse. Dyer said she was not surprised that respondents so strongly connected sexual violence with President Assad because, even the United States, the only times the public tends to care about instances of SGBV is when it involves a public figure. Famous cases can help prompt legislation and increased awareness, like it did in the OJ Simpson case in the United States, but what is really important, Dyer said, is implementation. Implementation requires long-term funding and institutional buy-in — lawyers and prosecutors willing to push cases forward — which is difficult, especially in conflict and post-conflict settings.

Steiner addressed the role of men in increasing community awareness about SGBV and issues affecting women. He specifically elaborated on the Men, Peace, and Security initiative that started at USIP. The premise of the initiative is to counter negative socialization leading to violence through positive socialization that help men unlearn violence. The key, according to Steiner, is to understand that not all men are perpetrators. Programs need to target men who have good values but do not know how to act on them or speak up for the rights of women. With the right tools, said Steiner, these types of men can have a huge impact in their communities. Steiner also spoke about the role of religious leaders and used an example from Afghanistan where mullahs were shown how moderate Islam is practiced elsewhere in the world to demonstrate alternative roles of women in a religious society. But, Steiner insisted, that women also need to be aware of their rights for programs targeting men to be effective.

Tahmasebi described her experience working in Islamic communities to address taboo subjects such as SGBV, specifically discussing anti-sexual harassment activities in Egypt. When Egyptians tried to address the issue of sexual harassment, they encountered difficulties because there was no word for it in Arabic. Activists had to first work to define the term and initiate public discourse, but it eventually resulted in decreasing stigma for women who spoke up about harassment. In Syria, Tahmasebi explained, there is a crisis and crisis situations can create opportunities. People are talking about SGBV and are more receptive to the idea that victims are not to blame. But, Tahmasebi insisted, it is vital to work with indigenous civil society groups to advance women’s rights so that impacts are sustained. The international community, Tahmasebi said, should think long-term and build the capacities of local groups to address the needs of their communities. The types of programs that should be supported, according to Tahmasebi, are trauma training and increased public discourse and awareness-raising trainings that go hand in hand with legislative reforms. In countries like Syria, Tahmasebi said, people do not trust their governments so these messages need to come from civil society instead.

Following the panel discussion, Mojtahedi next turned to the audience for questions. The first question came from an audience member concerned that women themselves are often the ones contributing to the backlash against survivors. Steiner agreed that women often oppose the rights of women. Tahmasebi also responded by saying that the Middle East has a long history of women advocating for their rights, but gender has become very politicized, thus limiting their work.

Another audience member asked whether sympathetic European or North American governments should provide Syrian organizations with verbal support or if such outward support would inherently compromise the integrity and neutrality of an organization’s work. Dyer responded that it is important for victims to know that they are not alone and that they are supported. If governments are vocal about ending impunity for these crimes, victims may be more likely to come forward. Tahmasebi commented that governments can lessen the harmful effects of support if they speak out strongly against all human rights abuses. By staying silent on Saudi atrocities, for example, but condemning Assad, governments politicize their support. Mojtahedi suggested that governments first ask their local partners about the types of non-monetary support they need before making statements on their behalf.

In response to an audience member’s question about the use of local and regional media outlets to promote positive responses to SGBV, Steiner said that there first needs to be an assessment of whether competent, credible in-country media in Syria exists. Tahmasebi gave an example of an effective use of media in addressing SGBV in Iran where a well-known media personality did a story on an incident of incest, which led to more people coming forward. If the media outlet or personality is well-trusted and familiar, then the media can have a positive influence on taboo issues.

The full report, Societal Attitudes toward SGBV in Syria is available in SJAC’s Transitional Justice Library. For more information and to provide feedback, please email SJAC and info@syriaaccountability.org.

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Dear Readers, Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis. Tribal ‘Blood Ties’ and Syria’s Civil War: Q&A Based on bloodlines dating back centuries, tribal networks in Syria have long been influential on the ground, but their role in the civil war is often overlooked. Syria Deeply spoke with an expert on the issue to learn more about how tribal dynamics have factored into Syria’s civil war. DIY in Damascus: Besieged Rooftop Gardens Green rooftops are popping up across Damascus in neighborhoods under government siege. With no sign of the blockade letting up and no available agricultural land, residents in the rebel-held areas of the capital are making use of open roofs, sunlight and seeds to feed their families. Iran’s Rising Role in Syria: Q&A with Nader Hashemi Bashar al-Assad’s increasing dependence on Iranian military support on the battlefield, according to Iran expert Nader Hashemi, has not only led to a war of influence between Moscow and Tehran in Damascus, but has deepened the growing sectarian divide in Syria and throughout the region. More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply • Will Syria’s Children Be Forever Haunted by War? • ‘Strikes on Islamic State are a Trap,’ Says Ex-Hostage • Leaked Document Reveals ISIS Nation-Building Plans Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org. You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.