To All Parties Involved In the Current Conflict in Suwayda, Syria.
We, the undersigned global women leaders, write with urgency and deep concern for the lives of civilians caught in the escalating violence in and around Suwayda, Syria, including women and girls.
In recent days, brutal clashes between Druze forces and Bedouin tribes have left dozens dead and many more injured. This conflict is escalating and taking on national and regional dynamics. All of these actions are putting the local civilian population under direct threat, and bombardments have already led to the loss of civilian lives.
No political or military grievance can justify putting civilians in harm’s way. Right now, many civilians, including women and children, are trapped in their homes under siege, without access to food, medicine, or clean water. Both Syrian citizens and people of other nationalities are stranded in the province, unable to flee or find safety. The Druze community, like all civilians in Syria, deserves safety, dignity, and peace, not renewed violence.
We call on the Syrian transitional government, the Government of Israel, and the warring parties, including Druze and Bedouin forces, to maintain a ceasefire around Suwayda to protect civilians and establish a humanitarian corridor. International humanitarian law and the laws of war must be respected. We also urge the opening of new channels for de-escalation, humanitarian access, and locally led mediation, which is inclusive of women’s voices. Finally, we ask international actors, including the United Nations, the ICRC, and regional powers, to step in, both to prevent further atrocities and to ensure international humanitarian law is respected.
As women leaders, we know that peace is not forged on battlefields, but around tables where communities, especially women, are given the chance to shape their futures. We offer our support, voice, and solidarity to all those working toward peace in Syria and an end to cycles of violence.
Signatories
- Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister, New Zealand; Former UNDP Administrator
- Hillary Clinton, 67th United States Secretary of State (Chair of the Global Women Leaders Network)
- Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
- Julia Gillard, Former Prime Minister of Australia
- Dalia Grybauskaité, Former President of Lithuania
- Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland
- Monica McWilliams, a former member of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly and a signatory of the Good Friday Agreement.
- Melanne Verveer, Executive Director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
- Carla Koppell, Managing Director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
