After 11 years of civil war in Syria, the impact of prolonged violence and conflict has left deep wounds and scars in the country. Severe economic deterioration and its knock-on effects, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has left over 90 per cent of the population living under the poverty line and around 14.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs.
Since 2011, the hostilities have reduced in most parts of the country but the needs of the poor continue to grow. Within one year, from 2021 to 2022, there was a 1.2 million increase in the number of people needing humanitarian support. Today, there is currently around 6.9 million people displaced within the country.
According to Rita Jarallah, Deputy Communication Director of Caritas Syria, women have played a key role in rebuilding the country and peacebuilding processes, as well as identifying the urgent needs and issues faced by victims of war. “Since Caritas Syria was able to restart its activities following the beginning of War in Syria, the female face has been strongly present in this work,” says Jarallah.
Amidst this crisis, women in Caritas continue to have an important role in assessing and implementing humanitarian projects to alleviate the sufferings of affected, displaced and vulnerable people and support them in difficult conditions. Several women participated in various needs assessments conducted in different parts of the country. They had the strength, capacity and skills to go out and assist those in need. At the beginning of 2021, food was identified as the number one need across all population, gender and age groups, followed by livelihood and income support, and non-food items and shelter assistance.
“After years of experience we cannot deny that women have an influential presence and an important role in Caritas. Each in her position. Whether in management tasks, office work or in fields with beneficiaries – affected, displaced and vulnerable people – it’s worth mentioning that women’s participation in Caritas work has a positive form due to their abilities, patience, works and sensitivity. All of which contributed to the success of the organisation’s works in achieving desired goals to help those who are the neediest,” adds Jarallah.
Since the beginning of the conflict, around 6.8 million people fled Syria and are refugees and asylum-seekers in foreign countries. In Lebanon, where an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees are living, women have been effective peacekeepers in their local communities. According to Rita Rhayem, Health & HIV Advisor at Caritas Internationalis and former director of Caritas Lebanon, “Programmes were developed to decrease tension between host communities and those arriving in the country. The programmes which included women were most successful in addressing these issues”.
As a Confederation, Caritas is dedicated to promoting women’s leadership and participation in decision-making at all levels. In time of crisis, women in Caritas have proven to be been pillars for their communities and society and play a key role in identifying the needs of those they serve and alleviating their sufferings.