Madaniya’s Monthly Newsletter - April 2024

Madaniya’s Monthly Bulletin

Dear colleagues, we hope that you had a productive month. 

At Madaniya, we will be sending monthly bulletins to share the latest developments within Madaniya and the Syrian Civic Space with you. 

Below is our bulletin for April 2024. 

With our best wishes, Madaniya’s team.    

Updates on Madaniya’s Work

Based on the accelerating momentum around Security Council Resolution 2254 due to the escalation of movement in many areas inside Syria, the main Madaniya project for the year 2024 will soon be launched. This project aims to open a national dialogue at the local level regarding the consequences of implementing the resolution from a Syrian perspective, in light of the current reality and based on its data. 

The project seeks to develop a general vision reflecting the perspectives of a diverse group of Syrian men and women who believe in the necessity of a political transition in Syria, aligned with their aspirations for freedom, justice, and democracy. This vision transcends various political and ideological affiliations and geographical distributions. It aims to address Security Council Resolution 2254 within the contexts of political, governance, and security changes in both national and international arenas. The project will engage civilian participants to explore the fundamental components of Resolution 2254, identify its challenges, and propose alternative mechanisms for its activation. Ultimately, it aims to formulate operational and policy recommendations contributing to the development of a roadmap for implementing Resolution 2254 according to Syrian perspectives. 

Syria Strategy Project 

Coinciding with the thirteenth anniversary of the start of the protests in Syria, Madaniya, in partnership with the Atlantic Council, the Middle East Institute, and the European Peace Institute, launched the Syria Strategy Project on the eighteenth of this month. The event took place in Washington, DC, where speakers and decision-makers from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East gathered to inaugurate the strategy aiming to develop holistic and sustainable solutions to the Syrian crisis. 

Since the launch of the project, efforts are still ongoing in preparing the working groups as well as communicating with stakeholders from regional and Syrian international actors in different regions. The first meetings of the specialised technical working groups began at the beginning of this month.

Madaniya’s Engagement with Ongoing Events

The eighth Brussels Conference on Syria and the region will commence soon, with the dialogue day scheduled for April 30, 2024, and the ministerial session set for May 27, 2024. Additionally, numerous side events will be organised on the sidelines of the conference by Syrian and international civil institutions, as well as various governmental and political bodies. 

Our team at Madaniya, along with several members of our Board of Directors, will be present in Brussels from April 28th to May 1st to participate in the dialogue day and some of the side events.

Early recovery path in Syria

With increasing momentum surrounding the early recovery path in Syria, particularly following the dissemination of the draft early recovery strategy by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Madaniya, under the leadership of the Syria Resource Group and in coordination with several relevant Syrian institutions and networks, has undertaken the task of crafting a position paper that critically evaluates the offerings of this strategy. This paper was circulated among all institutions for informational purposes and to solicit opinions and comments. Although work on this paper is ongoing to refine its content and devise the most effective advocacy plan, Madaniya, in collaboration with the Network of Charities and Associations in Britain (SCAN UK) and the Syria Resource Group, organised a discussion session this month with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office focusing on the broader topic of early recovery, drawing from the insights presented in the position paper. 

The objective of these discussions was to conduct a critical examination of the current early recovery landscape in Syria and identify key challenges and opportunities for effecting tangible change in its trajectory. A diverse array of representatives from Syrian civil institutions operating in humanitarian aid sectors, governance, peacebuilding, and human rights participated in the session. Through their interventions, they articulated perspectives on the principles-based approach to early recovery and underscored its fundamental pillars, offering thematic examples to illustrate their points. Moreover, discussions delved into the risks and challenges, including contentious aspects of OCHA's recently unveiled Early Recovery Strategy for Syria and the perceived politicisation of its Trust Fund proposal. 

Report in the Spotlight

We highlight in this section the latest reports and updates issued by Syrian institutions or about Syria.

The Syrian regime submitted the first voluntary report on the Sustainable Development Goals in 2020, and participated in the presentation that took place at the High-Level Political Forum. Civil society also participated in a “Shadow” report to respond to the government report at the time. Likewise, in 2023, the Syrian regime completed the second voluntary report and published it with its messages on the United Nations website, but the regime withdrew its participation in the 2023 High-Level Political Forum. 

The Syrian Center for Policy Research, in cooperation with the Network of Arab Non-Governmental Organisations for Development and several Syrian civil society organisations, prepared an independent alternative report on the extent of achieving the sustainable development goals in Syria in light of the current conflict. Accordingly, a development dialogue forum was held on sustainable development goals, discussing the highlights of the 2023 government report, and the topics that should be focused on in the alternative report. Accordingly, this report was prepared to provide an overview of the development situation in Syria. The report presents a summary of the Syrian regime’s report and presents the most important methodological deficiencies in this report, in addition to providing an analytical summary of Syria’s development performance in light of the conflict for the year 2023. 
 
To read the report in Arabic, visit the link. 

Updates about Madaniya’s Member Organisations 

In this section, we typically spotlight the achievements and developments in the work of member civil institutions.

However, this month, we have chosen to provide you with a list of side events organized by Syrian civil institutions on the sidelines of the Dialogue Day at the eighth Brussels Conference on Syria and the region. You can access the final list of side events coordinated by all Syrian and international parties, along with their logistical details, at this link.  

28th of April events: 

Event: Empowering Youth Voices: Building Resilience Through Public Participation 


Organiser: Olive Branch
 

Excerpt: This event will delve into the inclusion of youth in public and political affairs, a topic gaining momentum. Panelists will discuss challenges faced by Syrian youth, such as political instability and socio-economic obstacles, and explore methods to overcome them. Additionally, the discussion will spotlight youth-led CBOs and initiatives as effective models for public engagement, emphasizing the benefits of youth participation in decision-making for bolstering resilience. 

29th of April events: 

Event: Finding Answers: Syrian Families Engage with the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP)

Organiser: Truth and Justice Charter family associations   

Excerpt: This side event aims to underscore the pivotal role of families and survivors in addressing the crisis of the missing in Syria. It will explore how the international community can support the IIMP in its search operations and aid affected families. Discussion topics include enhancing victim participation, establishing a robust referral system, and outlining expected collaboration from states, civil society, and relevant international institutions. 

Event: Early Recovery and Girls' Education

Organisers: Tastakel Women Organisation for Peacebuilding, the Local Administration Councils Unit, and the Day After   

Excerpt: This event highlights integrating governance structures into early recovery efforts in Syria. It stresses civil society's role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in decision-making. Additionally, it proposes early education initiatives to empower women and civil society in shaping recovery efforts actively. 

Event: Early Recovery in Syria: Risks and Opportunities for Housing, Land, and Property Rights

Organisers: Syrian Civil Society Networks Platform (SCNP), Kingdom of Sweden, We Exist Alliance (WE), London School of Economics (LSE), The Day After (TDA), Syrian Legal Development Program (SLDP), Bahar Organisation   

Excerpt: This side event will delve into critical aspects of early recovery and HLP rights, considering Syria's fractured control areas. It will address challenges posed by politicized donor approaches and fragmentation in aid distribution. The event aims to foster comprehensive approaches to addressing rights violations and enhancing recovery strategies. 

Event: The Devastating Effects of Humanitarian Aid Cuts in Syria: Challenges and Strategies to Mitigate the Disaster

Organisers: Baytna, pour le Soutien de la Société Civile 

Excerpt: This event will discuss the impact of humanitarian aid cuts in Syria, focusing on recent cuts by WFP and the obstruction of international cross-border aid. It will explore strategies to mitigate adverse effects, including mobilising international support to increase humanitarian aid inside Syria. 

Event: Charting a Path to Justice: Syrian Civil Society and Accountability for Chemical Weapons Use

Organisers: The White Helmets, Baytna, and Syrian Legal Development Program   

Excerpt: This panel discussion will explore the importance of accountability for chemical weapons attacks to victims, families, witnesses, and first responders. It will discuss next steps in establishing a tribunal and the role civil society can play, building on recommendations from the Syrian Civil Society Conference on Chemical Weapons in 2023. 

Event: Centering Syrian Women's Perspectives towards the Brussels Conference on 'Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region'

Organiser: Women Now for Development Syria   

Excerpt: This event provides a closed, confidential space for dialogue between Syrian women civil society leaders and policy-makers from donor governments and international agencies. It focuses on priorities identified by women activists across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus. 

Event: "The Broken Wings": Advocating for Accountability in Syria's Healthcare Crisis

Organiser: The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)   

Excerpt: SAMS is organizing a side event to promote accountability for attacks on healthcare and advocate for more support to health workers and their communities in Syria. 

Event: No One Left Behind: Advocating for Justice in All Corners of Syria

Organisers: Syrians for Truth and Justice, 11.11.11, Human Rights Watch, Ceasefire, Synergy, CSO-NES, PEL – Civil Waves, and DAR Association   

Excerpt: Hosted by a coalition of organisations committed to human rights and accountability, this panel aims to shed light on overlooked areas of Syria where grave human rights abuses persist amidst the conflict.   

Event: Harnessing Economic Autonomy for Peace: Reimagining Syria’s Path Forward

Organiser: Omran Center for Strategic Studies   

Excerpt: In the backdrop of the 8th Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, this side event will explore the role of economic factors, including economic autonomy, in facilitating peace in Syria. The 90-minute panel will focus on economic empowerment at various levels, particularly emphasising the support and empowerment of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the middle class as pivotal elements in the peace process. The objective of the experts panel is to discuss and analyse the extent to which economic factors, particularly the empowerment of local economies, can be instrumental in fostering peace in Syria. 

Event: Localised Approach to Early Recovery in Syria

Organisers: Syrian Civil Society Networks Platform (SCNP), Syrian NGOs Alliance (SNA), Syrian Networks League (SNL), The Northwest of Syria NGO Forum, Christian Aid   

Excerpt: This side event centers on the localized approach to early recovery, emphasising the pivotal role of local communities in recovery projects. It will address the role of local NGOs, CSOs, and diaspora Syrian civil society actors and networks in designing and implementing early recovery projects, emphasising a principled intersectional approach. The event will delve into the necessity of supporting local structures and the challenges faced in bridging the gap between development and humanitarian interventions. 

30th of April events: 

Event: Local Identities and Administrative Divisions 


Organisers: Baytna, pour le Soutien de la Société Civile, and LINUM
 

Excerpt: This event serves as a platform for advocacy and dialogue on "Local Identities and Administrative Divisions." It gathers the international community, organisations, and Syrian entities to discuss research topics including the state of Syrian local and national identities, and the interrelationships between local identity, national identity, and administrative divisions.