A bad omen? Syria bans women from university courses
The recent announcement that Syrian tertiary institutes will not allow women into some courses has triggered debate. Critics worry it may be a sign that the new Syrian government is restricting women's rights.
Recent changes to university admissions rules in Syria have affected Lin Najab, a 23-year-old mechatronics engineering student from Damascus. The Syrian education ministry recently announced new rules for two newly created colleges, the National University of Defense Sciences and the Syrian University for Security Sciences, which restrict certain courses exclusively to male students.
Najab, who is one of the few women at her college studying mechatronics engineering, now has to consider alternative options, such as moving to another province to study. The ban on women in these courses has sparked controversy both within and outside Syria, with some arguing that gender should not define ability and that the country needs better education and good graduates, regardless of gender.
Human Rights Watch criticized the discriminatory rules, stating that they violate Syria's international legal obligations and reinforce gender stereotypes. The bans extend to other sectors, such as railways, oil and gas training organizations, and radio and television courses, where women are barred from male-only programs. These restrictions come on top of other concerning changes, such as the removal of images and symbols associated with the previous regime in school textbooks.
Critics argue that gender diversity in the security sector is essential for a society's perspective on females in nontraditional roles and that allowing women to join the military can advance a society's view on females in nontraditional gender-based roles.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
