Archived: Statement on UN Syria Envoy Staffan de Mistura’s “SyrianWomen’s Advis ory Board”

Syrian Feminist Lobby  The “Syrian Women’s Advisory Board” has released a declaration on behalf of Syrian women that presents their views on the peace process and political negotiations and that calls for an immediate end to sanctions on the regime, for the release of prisoners, and the for progress on the humanitarian front as a first priority. The Syrian Feminist Lobby affirms the following: 1. That a just and lasting peace in Syria cannot take place without a democratic transition on a fundamental level by way of a transitional governing body with full powers. 2. The role of women must not be flattened into canned stereotype such as “the peacemakers” without regard for their crucial roles as political and human rights activists in the struggle against all forms of tyranny. 3. We reject the lifting of sanctions on the Syrian regime until a transitional governing body has been created in line with the parameters outlined in the Geneva I Communique. We stress that the regime’s use of starvation sieges as a weapon of war has nothing to do with sanctions, but is a systematic policy designed to subjugate whole communities into submission. The Syrian Feminist Lobby reaffirms the importance of releasing those both male and female who have been detained or kidnapped, the lifting of sieges across Syria, and the continued cessation of hostilities against the Syrian people that has helped reinvigorate the popular spirit of the Revolution.With all due respect to the political and feminist struggles of some members on the Advisory Board, we nonetheless believe that the Advisory Board does not represent a large segment of Syrian women and therefore only  expresses the personal views of its members

—