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 put a damper on Lin Najab's aspirations. The 23-year-old Damascus native is one of few women enrolled in mechatronics engineering at her college. Najab had hoped to pursue a master's degree but was recently informed of new restrictions imposed by Syria's education ministry on two newly established colleges: the National University of Defense Sciences and the Syrian University for Security Sciences.
The former now exclusively admits male students to certain courses, while the latter restricts almost all of them. Najab must now consider alternative options, such as relocating to another province for education. Living alone as a female student is still viewed negatively by conservative Syrians, and her family opposes her decision to study outside their province due to security concerns and the desire to keep their daughters close.
The decision to ban women from these courses has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally. Fatoun Kharbatli, an Aleppo-based activist, opposes the exclusion of individuals based on gender, arguing that ability should be the determining factor, not gender. Qamar al-Yaser, a mother of three from rural Damascus, supports the ban, claiming that certain sectors require physical strength and long hours, making them more suitable for men.
Human Rights Watch has criticized the discriminatory rules, stating that they violate Syria's international legal obligations and reinforce gender stereotypes. The restrictions extend to other sectors, including railways, oil and gas, and radio and television training, as well as kindergarten, nursing school, and midwifery courses, where women were previously the exclusive applicants.
These measures come alongside other concerning restrictions and changes in school textbooks, such as the removal of images of female students with uncovered hair and the alteration of statues to depict men in non-combat roles. While some argue that gender diversity in the security sector is beneficial, human rights advocates maintain that such exclusions are unjust and hinder societal progress.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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