Women take centre stage in Syria’s new government

In a landmark shift, Syria’s transitional government has, for the first time, appointed women to high-ranking roles, sparking debate about whether these moves represent genuine inclusivity or mere symbolism.

On December 22, Aisha al-Dibs was named head of the newly created Women’s Affairs Office, followed by Maysaa Sabreen’s appointment as the first female governor of Syria’s Central Bank on December 30. The next day, Muhsina al-Mahithawi, a Druze woman, was selected as governor of Suwaida province.

Together, these appointments signal a deliberate effort to integrate women and minorities into leadership roles after decades of male-dominated governance under the Baath regime.

Aisha al-Dibs, a humanitarian activist and long-time advocate for women’s rights, has pledged to tackle legal, social, and cultural barriers facing Syrian women. “Women’s voices must be central to shaping Syria’s political and cultural landscape,” she declared, describing the creation of the Women’s Affairs Office as a milestone for inclusivity.

Meanwhile, Sabreen’s rise to head the Central Bank—a first in its 70-year history—has been hailed as a breakthrough for gender equality in Syria’s financial sector.

Muhsina al-Mahithawi’s appointment as governor of Suwaida and the naming of Dr. Diana Elias Al-Asmar, a Syrian Christian, to lead Damascus Children’s University Hospital underscore a push for greater diversity in the transitional government.

These appointments highlight a deliberate effort to integrate women and minorities into leadership positions, although the extent of genuine reform remains to be seen.

Cautious optimism

Recent reforms in Syria, including the appointment of women to high-ranking roles, reflect dual priorities, Betul Dogan Akkas, a MENA expert from Ankara University told TRT World.

She emphasised that while similar reforms in other Middle Eastern countries have not been successful, Syria could set a different example if consistency is maintained.

“Syrian society has been in a political spectrum of authoritarianism since the Baath regime, but they have an open-minded society—women are not isolated, and neither are minorities.”

She noted Syria's open-minded society, asserting that the reforms must be sustained to signal genuine progress: “If Syria can work on it, they will be a successful example. I don’t see this as just a step; it’s a long-term process.”

Dogan Akkas also emphasised the dual drivers behind these reforms: reorienting Syria towards a more inclusive political culture and meeting international expectations for stability and minority protection.

Dogan Akkas emphasised that while similar reforms in other Middle Eastern countries have not been successful, Syria could set a different example if consistency is maintained.

Domestically, the changes signal a return to Syria’s more inclusive political roots, where women and minorities were not inherently marginalised despite authoritarian rule.

Internationally, the reforms aim to align with the expectations of backers like Qatar, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia, whose support hinges on Syria ensuring stability, counterterrorism, and minority protection.

Led by Ahmed al Sharaa, the transitional government’s efforts to include women in decision-making roles could pave the way for long-term societal change. Whether this signals a genuine commitment to equality or remains a symbolic gesture will depend on how these leaders are empowered to effect meaningful change.

The appointments reflect a broader bid to reshape Syria’s governance and repair its global image.

According to Dogan Akkas, women faced political pressures under the Baath regime, but society itself remained open. This, she argued, represents a reorientation towards the country’s original political culture, which is “quite organic and natural.”