ESCWA Centre for Women, in cooperation with the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs and Population, held a national workshop to discuss international instruments and best practices to address violence against women (VAW) in Syria on 2-3 July 2019 in Damascus.
 
The workshop, launched by Dr. Akram al-Qash, Head of the Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs, brought together 30 participants from various governmental agencies (Ministries of Social Affairs and Labour, Health, Interior, Justice, Endowments, and Information, and the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs and Population), as well as civil society organizations and media.
 
The first day of the workshop focused on international standards and best practices to address VAW, and relevant national mechanisms, including legislation, policies, strategies and services, as well as the role of various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders and service providers therein.
 
During the second day, the participants discussed the survivor's help-seeking behaviour and her needs in terms of health, shelter, psycho-social rehabilitation, legal and security/ protection services. The workshop also highlighted the importance of partnership and coordination between all service-providing stakeholders.
 
The discussions led to several straightforward recommendations to the concerned authorities on how to reinforce the national framework with laws, policies, strategies and services to address the different forms of VAW in Syria.

ِAll related documents can be found in Arabic on the Arabic link of the webpage.