Women will play a key role in a new Syria, says minister

Head of women’s affairs Aisha al-Dibs says women from all provinces and ethnicities will help rebuild war-torn country.

The newly appointed head of the Women’s Affairs Office under the Syrian interim government says the administration will enable women to contribute to the rebuilding of the country, ravaged by more than a decade of conflict.

In an interview with Al Jazeera from Damascus on Sunday, Aisha al-Dibs said the government was committed to engaging Syrian women in social, cultural and political institutions, and recruiting qualified women in healthcare and education sectors.

“It is known to us all that the Syrian woman, historically, is a highly effective woman, able to lead across all fields. Today, we are in the process of bringing her back to this leading role in building Syria, a new country, the free country we all aspire for,” al-Dibs said.

She pledged to encourage women from all the Syrian provinces and ethnicities to participate in an upcoming national conference, which will discuss the future of the country.