“We were no longer only activists” – Civil society organizer


“عندما غابت مؤسسات الدولة، اضطر المجتمع المدني أن يملأ هذا الفراغ. لم نعد فقط ناشطين، بل أصبحنا أيضاً مقدمي خدمات ووسطاء، وأحياناً مصدر حماية للناس.”
“When the state disappeared, civil society had to step in. We were no longer only activists—we became service providers, mediators, and sometimes protection.”

Civil society as substitute institutions

FILLING INSTITUTIONAL GAPS

Actor: Civil society organizer
Item type: Quote from interview
Date:
Source: interview
Stored at:
DoJ Researcher: Carla Boulos
DoJ Research project:
Language: Arabic
Translated to: English


Context

I believe this data will remain relevant because it documents the voices of Syrian women, civil society actors, and activists during a critical historical moment. The interviews capture their experiences, struggles, and visions of justice in the midst of conflict and political uncertainty.
In many cases, these perspectives are not recorded in official archives or policy documents. Preserving these narratives allows future researchers, activists, and communities to understand how Syrian women experienced the conflict, how gender roles shifted, and how civil society actors worked to support their communities despite limited resources and difficult conditions.
The data also captures how justice was imagined and practiced in everyday life when formal institutions were absent or fragile. In this sense, it provides insight into how grassroots actors conceptualized dignity, accountability, and social change.
In 30 years, these testimonies can serve as an important historical record of women’s agency and civil society engagement during the Syrian conflict, and may help future generations understand the social transformations and struggles for gender justice that emerged during this period.


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dialogicsofjustice