22 Women Enter Syria’s New Parliament, From Actress to Academic
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Damascus: Syria's newly constituted parliament comprises a diverse group of women from various backgrounds, highlighting the country's shifting political environment in the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad's fall.
The 22 women appointed to the 207-member assembly include actress Rouzaina Lazkani, civil engineering professor Madonna Beshara, Kurdish political figure Fasla Yousef, and Mirvat Toutou, the wife of a former Islamist leader.
The ladies have diverse backgrounds, including entertainment, academia, Kurdish politics, and Syria's past armed opposition. Beshara, who is also one of parliament's deputy speakers, has emphasised that women's participation should result in actual influence on legislation and national policy.
However, women make up only about 10.6% of the new parliament, showing women's under-representation amid the wide range of those who have gained seats.
The assembly is closely monitored as Syria's post-Assad authorities try to construct a new political order and project a more inclusive image of administration.
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