Programmes

Trainings

We empower women lawyers and legal practitioners to lead in legal accountability efforts by providing tailored training and prioritizing their well-being. Huquqyat challenges patriarchal power structures by providing a safe space for women leaders in the justice and accountability field, fostering expression, self-care, and participation. Our organization operates through horizontal decision-making guided by feminist principles, emphasizing self-awareness and empathy. We prioritize members’ emotional and physical well-being, encouraging trust-based collaboration and flexibility, especially for those with caregiving responsibilities. Psychosocial support is integral to coping with hardship during investigations. Huquqyat serves as a platform for Syrian women legal professionals to network, develop their skills, and lead their own cases. We offer capacity-building programs tailored to members’ needs, enhancing technical expertise and fostering investigative skills. Through collaborative learning and practical application, members strengthen their ability to drive positive change within Huquqyat and beyond.

Investigations

Our approach at Huquqyat emphasizes empowering Syrian women legal practitioners to challenge gender norms in legal proceedings amid conflict. By adopting a transformative gender approach, we redefine norms in criminal proceedings, prioritizing gender-sensitive cases. Our survivor-centered framework ensures the well-being of survivors and integrates their perspectives into our work.

We aim to empower Syrian women to lead in criminal accountability efforts, extending beyond European borders. Community engagement is crucial, with local communities playing a central role in all stages of investigation and accountability. We advocate for inclusive justice processes that value victim perspectives and involve all affected communities. By actively engaging local communities, we foster ownership over justice-seeking processes and address the gender gap in legal empowerment.

This collaborative approach ensures investigations and cases align with community needs, contributing to a more equitable society in post-conflict Syria.

Advocacy

At Huquqyat, we engage in research, advocacy campaigns, networking, training, capacity building, awareness-raising, and communication activities to promote legal and policy reforms that protect and advance women’s rights and access to justice in Syria. We recognize the fundamental role of international mechanisms in combating impunity, providing access to justice for victims/survivors, and driving accountability efforts transnationally. We will strengthen our partnership with numerous important stakeholders within the Syrian context by organizing advocacy activities to bring concrete needs and demands of the affected communities and women survivors to the international community.

Research

Within Huquqyat, our multifaceted efforts aim to advance justice in the Syrian context while highlighting the often-overlooked gendered dimensions of conflict-related crimes. Through blog posts and newsletter articles, we disseminate knowledge on ongoing progress and our members’ work. Our third pillar emphasizes collaborative research initiatives, community-based investigations, and gender-sensitive, survivor-centered approaches. Recognizing the limitations of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions in addressing gender-based violence, we focus on gaining insights from Syria’s transitional justice endeavors, delving into case studies, policy briefings, and data analysis. We highlight where legal instruments fall short in responding to the unique needs of affected women, the gender disparities in human rights reporting, and the imperative to confront the invisibility of women’s concerns during and after conflict. Collaborating with legal experts, human rights advocates, and academics, we generate evidence-based recommendations for legal reform aimed at combating gender-based discrimination and violence.

Legal Aid

We provide legal representation to women in Syria. Our team of legal experts addresses the multifaceted legal needs of women regardless of their financial circumstances or geographic location. By guaranteeing equal access to justice and legal representation for women, we ensure the protection and promotion of women’s rights.