Gender Justice Lessons from North-East Syria Amidst Patriarchal Perpetuation in the New Syrian Arab Republic?

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, whose family had ruled Syria for over sixty years, and his government by Hai’at Tahrir asch-Scham (HTS) signified for many the beginning of a new era of democracy and freedom after thirteen years of civil war. People in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), a self-governing region that had not been ruled by the Syrian state since 2012, joined in with the celebrating crowds. However, they remained skeptical of HTS, which originated as a branch of al-Qaeda, known back then as Jabhat al-Nusra. Since taking on government responsibilities in the new Syria they have painted themselves as a moderate force. In the state- and constitution-building process HTS and representatives of the DAANES have established communication to negotiate reintegration of the DAANES into a unified Syria. While these talks are carried by a hope for a democratic Syria, concerns about the transitional government’s commitment to democracy and moreover women’s rights have grown stronger. This essay explores the democratic gender justice models in the DAANES, developments since December 2024, and an assessment on the future of gender justice in the new Syria.