This research examines decentralisation as a potential gateway to conflict solving in Syria and the constitutional guarantees required for its implementation. The Research reviews the reasons, challenges, opportunities, and implementation conditions of decentralisation on three levels: political participation, development, and community stability.

We, a group of Syrian human rights, humanitarian and civil society organizations, associations and groups of victims and their families, and witnesses and survivors of chemical attacks in Syria.

The signatory organizations welcome this unprecedented judicial measure, which is a significant advancement in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the chemical brutal attacks.

The undersigned Arab human rights organizations call on permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council and member states of the League of Arab States to take immediate action to prevent the situation in Gaza from developing into the crime of genocide against Palestinian civilians.

Baytna began 2022 with renewed vigor and a commitment to achieving even greater and more impactful results. The year proved to be a success, with the workflow progressing smoothly in terms of legal compliance, as all employees obtained work residencies in Belgium. Despite the challenges encountered in 2021, significant strides were made in capacity building, networking, and training activities.

2021 has been the year of transition for Baytna. We started operating from our new headquarters in Brussels-Belgium in January and shut down all Turkey operations in September. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to challenge the work schedule. However, Baytna was quick to adapt all its programming to the pandemic realities. All training and capacity-building events were moved online through Zoom and Skype.

Despite the great results achieved in 2019, Baytna entered 2020 with a strong determination to surpass those achievements and make an even greater impact. However, the year presented unexpected challenges that tested the organization’s resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic hit us in March 2020, and we had to work remotely for the remainder of the year. Baytna was quick to adapt all its programming to the pandemic realities.

We, the undersigned Syrian civil society and international organizations applaud the application instituting proceedings on the Application of the Convention against Torture (CAT) against the Syrian regime before the International Court of Justice by the Netherlands and Canada.

Turkish Authorities Must Respect Their Obligations Under Customary International Law Which Strictly Prohibits Refoulement.

This side event of the Brussels VII Conference on The Future Of Syria And The Region aims to shed light on the gravity of the water crisis in Northwest- and Northeast-Syria, to explore its multifaceted impact on local communities (encompassing access to drinking water, agriculture, economy, and health), and to provide a platform to hear directly from local CSOs operating in the area about their expectations towards the EU, EU member states and other international actors.

This open letter has been prepared in a coordinated effort by the below-signed civil society and non-governmental organizations with the aim of calling on UNHCR to increase cooperation and transparency with local organizations to adequately respond to the alarming deportations of Syrian refugees from Lebanon to Syria.

This research analyzes the current state of Syrian civil society organizations (CSOs), how they interact, and what keeps them divided. It also gives suggestions for overcoming these divides for the betterment of all Syrians. Specifically, we aim to answer three fundamental questions: 1) what are the primary divisions affecting Syrian CSOs 2), what factors influence these divisions, and 3) what are possible paths towards cohesion among Syrian CSOs?

Statement by Syrian and Non-Syrian Organizations and Groups on the Current Situation in Northwest Syria following the Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes.

This announcement comes following the conclusion of an event organised by the American Relief Coalition for Syria (“ARCS”) in Washington DC to launch their unprecedented report: ‘2014 is not 2022: Why the Continuation of UN-Coordinated Cross-Border aid into Syria Absent a UN Security Council Resolution is Lawful’, drafted by Guernica 37 Members Jack Sproson and Ibrahim Olabi.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (UNSCR 1325) affirms the importance of women’s participation and the inclusion of gender perspectives in peace negotiations, humanitarian planning, peacekeeping operations, and post-conflict peacebuilding and governance.

Amid Israel’s escalating attacks targeting their work, a group of more than 150 Palestinian, regional, and international organizations express our full solidarity with the designated seven leading Palestinian civil society organizations.

A new study on Youth Interest in Public Affairs by Kesh Malek and Baytna, shedding light on the root causes of Syrian youth’s retreat from participation in the public sphere, and on how they foresee friendly governance conditions under which youth in Syria could be empowered and have a greater role in the public arena.

London/Brussels, January 31, 2022 – Sanctions imposed on supporters of the Syrian regime were meant to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes in Syria accountable, and to deter others from supporting the regime. After over a decade of sanctions, however, the regime has managed to survive economic sanctions by finding ways to evade them.

Despite ten years of western sanctions on Syria, the Syrian regime has managed to survive and adapt to pressure. Sanctions were imposed on the Syrian regime as a response to its human rights violations since the beginning of the popular Syrian uprising in 2011.

In the presence of sanctions and other prevailing risks, Western actors conducting business in Syria have been limited. However, Russian, Iranian, and Chinese companies are interested - or have expressed interest - in conducting business in Syria.