Promote the Role of Women

Due to the ongoing conflict, rural Syrian women have become in many cases, the only remaining breadwinner for their families. Increased economic and social responsibility to sustain their families, is burdening especially women in conflict times, also in the case of rural Syrian women. Finding stable livelihood opportunities presents a challenge for vulnerable women in rural areas. The absence of educational opportunities and proper vocational training makes it difficult to find work in dignity.

Whereas rural women previous the war have been in charge mainly for family intern issues, now many women have to take responsibility in economic terms, meaning contributing to the family’s income. This changed role of women is a burden and opportunity at the same time. 

The occupation of Raqqa by ISIS from 2014 to autumn 2017 has further worsened women’s situation, making it even difficult to leave their houses (without the company of a man) or to work. Experiencing heavy oppression during those four years of occupation, women’s role in society became even more marginal. Nowadays, women started again to become active in the community. The involvement in such activities as in the Women associations and the shared workspace gives further hope to pass to a new chapter. 

Improving Rural Women’s Livelihood

Since 2016 the Program is incentivizing Women Association’s set to develop income generation activities in the local handcraft and food-processing field jointly. The Program has strengthened women’s self-esteem by engaging them in economically profitable activities identified and set-up based on the context’s sustainable livelihood. Modus operandi has been ever since the full inclusion of the women target groups into the establishment and set up, aiming to reach economic viability and financial self-reliance of the women associations. The five established associations, located in North West and Northern Syria are active in dairy/yoghurt production, food processing of local agriculture products, and pastries and sweets. 

The overarching objective for choosing this concept of support is the pursuit to create profitable and sustainable job opportunities for rural women, enabling their integration into the local value-chain and reaching economic viability and financial self-reliance for their business ideas. 

In addition to creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, the women associations have also become a “role model”, demonstrating that full local community inclusion, the strengthening of women women’s agency and transparent decision making can be vital for activating Women’s proactiveness and entrepreneurial thinking. Team Spirit, joint decision-making, and open space for discussion are inherent to the women associations. Thus, benefits are not limited to the engaged women and their increased household income and personal development, eventually influencing the broader local community positively.

The job and income opportunities created have meant that they can concretely support their family in the long term and no longer depend on humanitarian aid. Besides, the technical assistance and courses provided to them have improved their knowledge. They are now also passing on to their children.

Following are the core components of the supporting modalities : 

• Support through the initial distribution of inputs and equipment (grant) for the start-up income generation activities. 

• Technical Assistance & Capacity Building by international experts through their participation in Remote Technical Assistance Courses and Seminars provided by international experts used to transfer specific knowledge and know-how on production techniques as well as business-oriented thinking

• Continuous Support and Follow up by the programme technicians, through constant consultancy and training on the job by the technician in loco, supporting the operational business activities

• Concept of Association: Proper Remote Technical Assistance session to the Association members, to inform and update them on the positive added values of a democratically led Associations

• Introduction of soft skills training – accompanying the women groups not just technically, but providing support also on a personal dimension

• Inclusion of Local Administration: Including the local administrations in the process of identifying already existing Women Associations as well as developing new ones, fosters the cooperation between local administrations and Association members, contributing to common sense and incentive of the problem- solving

• Staff recruitment in IGA: Special Vulnerability Criteria are defined, which is a good and useful practice to avoid conflict among members and to enhance the necessary backstopping from all involved stakeholders

• Sending the right Incentives: Their generated profits pay salaries: This ensures the sustainability of the IGA even after project end and avoids dependencies of the Association on the intervention itself

The improvement of women’s income and knowledge has allowed them to improve their social position within their rural community and their families. The participatory approach transmitted to the women groups and the everyday activity in Association also allowed women to significantly improve the socialization between women and the exchange of experiences.