Elevating Women to Lead
in Transitional Justice

We elevate the voices of women to lead transitional justice processes in communities that are recovering and rebuilding following war, conflict, and oppression.

Much of the narrative surrounding human rights violations focuses on the experiences of men, and men dominate the social spaces where justice and potential political solutions are discussed. Women’s experiences and voices have been marginalised and occasionally tokenised. There is a considerable need to amplify the voices and experiences of women to ensure that their leadership is recognised and they are able to contribute to accountability processes and political solutions.

We elevate women’s voices in post conflict communities by:

● Engaging them to design and lead international advocacy campaigns. 

● Increasing their awareness and knowledge of international justice and accountability efforts and mechanisms.

● Strengthening women-led grassroots organizations working on truth, justice, and accountability.

● Integrating women’s voices, perspectives and experiences in formal and informal truth, justice, and accountability efforts.

Facilitating Transitional Justice Activities

Recovering and rebuilding following active conflict is a process that takes time. Trust is not healed overnight, and suffering must be recognised. Synergy and our partners work with women human rights activists and advocates to initiate transitional justice activities. The inclusion of women’s perspectives and leadership in these activities is essential to ensuring that all members of the community can process the trauma, fear, and anger resulting from war and conflict. Including women in the process of healing and rebuilding ensures that the needs of women and children are included and increases their access to healthy social connections and essential services. Memorializing, peacebuilding, developing advocacy campaigns, and leading community dialogues are a few examples of the transitional justice activities women are participating in and leading with the help of our partner organisations.

Amal Healing and Advocacy Center

Synergy for Justice provides financial and technical support to a women-led Syrian grassroots organisation (Amal Healing and Advocacy Center (AHAC)) to expand their outreach and support to Syrian women survivors of human rights violations. Synergy provides AHAC with training in organisational management, fundraising, and programme management. We also provide technical support as they provide legal, mental health and psychosocial support, and case management services for women survivors.

AHAC conducts individual and group psychosocial support sessions for women survivors and family members of the disappeared. AHAC’s legal team provides remote and in person legal counseling and referrals. AHAC is also engaging directly with community leaders, women activists, and survivors to amplify their voices through advocacy campaigns and community dialogue sessions on transitional justice.

AHAC Training Participant

On the 24th of March 2022, Amal Healing and Advocacy Center held an advocacy training workshop targeting 14 survivors of detention from different states in Syria. I was among the targeted survivors. During the training, we were taught what advocacy is, its methods and the strategies used to form a successful advocacy campaign.

One of the recommendations that came out of the workshop was to build a website for our campaign aiming at helping survivors access information. I was thrilled and excited about the idea, especially because of my prior knowledge of managing websites, social media pages and writing content. I suggested to Amal Center to be part of the team that works on the website. I received training from the website designer Imad Bazzi and I started publishing testimonials and content related to the "Listen to Us" campaign.

Amal Center provided me with a new opportunity to prove to myself and the community that I am a survivor who can start over, achieve her dreams and aspirations, and adhere to the principles of the revolution for which we fought for.

Mrs. Alaa Morelli

Developing Protocols for Investigation and Documentation in Syria

Synergy for Justice has developed a Syria Supplement to the second edition of the International Protocol for Investigation and Documentation of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). This Supplement provides Syria-specific guidance and considerations for working with CRSV Survivors from Syria with the goal of making the work safer and more survivor-centred. A significant part of this project is ensuring that the voices of Syrian women survivors and documenters enrich and shape the updated protocols. We believe their views of what is helpful and most relevant for safe and effective responses to CRSV in Syria are essential to the successful documentation of cases and will result in improved opportunities for women and children to obtain justice.

English version

Arabic version

Emotional and Psychological Impacts of Our Work

● Women feel a sense of empowerment as they gain knowledge and the ability to advocate for their needs.

● Women feel confident and energised to use their skills and knowledge to advocate for change.

● Survivors overcome fear and anxiety, and add their voices to public advocacy campaigns.

● Women who are survivors participate in supporting other women survivors and families of missing persons.

● Women follow their dreams and build meaningful lives and connections with their communities.

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