A Decade On, Women in Syria Make the Most of What They Have

This piece is part of the “More to Her Story” series with The Wilson Center’s Middle East Women’s Initiative. This series spotlights reporting by women from the Middle East and North Africa.

In a small workshop on the outskirts of Darayya, a western suburb of Damascus, 38-year-old Om Feras spends her days crafting embroidered pieces and overseeing five other craftswomen. The years of war in Syria were difficult for her, but this work has been, as she describes it, a miraculous gift. 

In 2012, after the fighting in her area intensified, Om Feras and her family were forced to flee to a neighboring town. A few months later, her husband disappeared, leaving her to care for their three young sons alone. In 2016, she received news from Syrian authorities that her husband had died. 

“They were very difficult years,” Om Feras recounts with teary eyes. “First, we had to leave our house and lost everything, then we were forced to live in new, shared places, and I found myself solely responsible for my sons.” 

After the war ended, Om Feras returned to the area, rehabilitated her home, and has since been working hard to re-establish a normal life. She also recently married again and is building a new life with her husband. 

During her displacement, Om Feras was introduced to a new initiative supporting women by teaching them handicraft skills and helping them market their products. Despite having no prior experience, she joined the group, learned various styles of traditional Syrian embroidery, and has since become the team leader of the Sama Handmade project.  

“After losing my husband—the breadwinner of the family—and our house, I was in total despair. I had to find a way to support myself and my sons without asking for help from anyone,” she explains. “I started knitting and selling some small items. Then, the work grew, and I became responsible for 30 women working with the Sama project,” she said, adding that this work has transformed not only her family’s economic situation but also her personality.  

“I was shy, but now everyone says I’m strong. The work changed how I see myself and others, and it broke some stereotypes about Syrian women and their presence in the labor market.” 

The newfound work, as well as returning home, gave Om Feras a sense of belonging: “One of the hardest things I faced during the past years was having to live away from my house and city. I used to talk to my sons about it, promising that one day we would go back to our small land where we belong.” 

The United Nations estimates that more than 300,000 civilians have been killed in Syria between 2011 and 2022—most of them men. This has left thousands of women and families, like Om Feras, facing an uncertain fate. Some officials say that women represent 60% of Syrian society, up from 50% before the uprising in 2011.  

55-year-old Salma Sayyad, a civil society activist in Jaramana, an eastern suburb of Damascus, runs a civic space for cultural activities. Salma noticed that Syrian women faced tremendous challenges after the war, especially after the mass emigration of youth that left many the main breadwinners.  

“With the high cost of living, workplace exploitation... corruption and violence on all levels, and loss of security, the future of many Syrian women is uncertain,” she says. Recent reports say that nearly 75% of Syrians, or more than 16.5 million people, require some form of humanitarian assistance. 

Salma faced many challenges working at the Ministry of Economy and in the humanitarian field. “Most workplaces are dominated by men, and they don’t believe in our abilities,” she explains.  

“We need to organize the private sector, where more and more women are working under the threat of exploitation, along with non-discriminatory civil status laws that adapt to changes in Syrian society. We also need to fight offensive stereotypes in school and other places.”  

She believes that all of this can be done by giving women access to decision-making positions.  

Om Feras says the economic situation is the main challenge facing Syrian women. According to the World Bank, poverty affects around 70% of Syrians, with the inflation rate and prices increasing yearly without any sufficient increase in income. Om Feras believes that empowering women's skills is essential for them to be productive and break this cycle of despair.  

Two years ago, 23-year-old Beesan Salhab graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus. Since then, she has focused her efforts on gaining a scholarship abroad. 

The greatest obstacle for Beesan is the financial situation. “I’m working but still dependent on my parent’s aid. It is becoming harder and harder for us, the youth, to find decent work that can cover our expenses and let us move forward with our lives, especially since I come from another city and I need to pay a huge rent here in Damascus. I remember four years ago, it wasn’t that hard to do so, but now, it is almost impossible.” She states that one of the main reasons she is eager to leave the country is to become fully independent. 

Another challenge is the societal perception of women and girls in Syria. “It is not always easy for a young woman to live alone, ride a bicycle, and move around. Some people tell me I’m brave; others criticize me with surprised looks.” 

Beesan is now continuing her Master of Arts degree in Damascus, participating in group exhibitions and giving art lessons. She still dreams about developing her academic skills and obtaining another nationality in the coming years.  

“This would give me the feeling of security and liberation. I live in fear of a new war in Syria and the region, and I’m scared of being trapped here with my loved one. Having a second passport is the solution, even if I choose to continue my life in Syria.” 

“What gives you hope and power?” I ask Om Feras, and without any hesitation, she replies: “My sons. Five months ago, my oldest son had to leave Syria for Egypt, and this was very hard for me. I miss him. I would do anything to secure a better future for the three of them and see them happy with their future families, and now I’m strong for their sake and for the sake of the women who work with me...We became like a circle of support for each other.” 

Om Feras also has big dreams. In the past year, she got her high school degree and went to college to study sociology. She dreams about starting her own business, a kindergarten, or a massage center for women. She would also like to plant trees in her neighborhood, as she recalls how it used to be so green. “Everything has completely changed; we need a new and clean environment,” she says with a big smile. 

Salma finds strength in the small space she created in the Nissan Cultural Forum. “This place gives me hope to meet people with shared dreams and visions and work with young women who grew and studied in war circumstances yet work and succeed in their lives. They will be the changemakers in the future.” 

Salma tells me that she has one personal dream: to meet her expat children. She also dreams of a Syria where everyone lives in peace, security, and democracy. “I hope Syria can be kind to its people, especially its women.”