Coinciding with the anniversary of the fall of the old regime, “things are improving,” said Mohammad Al Nsour, head of the Middle East and North Africa section at OHCHR said UN News.
“Every time we go to Damascus, we can see the change. »
The OHCHR – prevented from operating in Syria for many years – now has a team permanently deployed in Damascus. For Mr Al Nsour, this marks an important turning point after a long period spent monitoring the human rights situation remotely from Beirut.
“The former government refused access to OHCHR,” he recalled from Geneva. “We have tried several times,” but now, “it is a great advantage to be on the ground,” he added.
Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria.
Signs of progress
Syria remains faced with a number of urgent priorities: the need to rebuild a war-damaged country, address the many remaining grievances, and seek justice for past and present violations.
The senior official noted that insecurity also remains an alarming concern – from the northeast to Soueida – following massacres earlier this year in coastal areas, notably by members of the government security forces.
He nevertheless insisted that the general direction is “very constructive and positive”.
“There is a political will for improvement on the part of the government,” he said, highlighting the daily engagement between OHCHR and the authorities. The government received technical assistance from UN officials aimed at reforming legislation, strengthening human rights within law enforcement institutions, and improving public administration.
These measures, he said, demonstrate a commitment to a rights-based future.
He stressed that one of the main advantages of having an office inside the country is that it functions “as an advisor to the authorities”.
“We monitor, report and use advocacy to alert authorities of violations in order to prevent them. Our main goal and objective is not to shame or blame any government, but rather to prevent violations.”
Symbolic change
Preparations are underway for Syria’s first-ever Human Rights Day celebration on December 10, just two days after the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime.
The event is co-organized by OHCHR and the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the theme: A human rights-based approach to reconstruction.
Mr Al Nsour said the celebration would mark “a new chapter in our relationship with the Syrian government” and that discussions would focus on “how to advance the human rights agenda in the new Syria”.
Responsibility and justice
For many Syrians, responsibility remains central.
After violent incidents in the coastal region last March, authorities established a national commission of inquiry – which received important technical advice from OHCHR – and some perpetrators are now being tried in a national court.
Mr. Al Nsour noted that the government also accepted the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry, allowing the continuation of independent international investigations, not only into violations committed under the Assad regime, but also since its fall.
Looking ahead, transitional justice is the priority for 2026.
“There is a need not only for accountability,” he said, “but also for truth-telling, reparations and national reconciliation.”
Women’s voices
OHCHR also supports women-led civil society organizations and promotes greater representation of women in political institutions, particularly following parliamentary elections – a request to which Mr Al Nsour said authorities are increasingly receptive.
At the same time, it also empowers these organizations by training them to use advocacy to promote their cause and connecting them with international human rights mechanisms.
OCHA cross-border mission to Ma’arrat An Nu’man.
The OHCHR official stressed that the greatest source of hope for Syria lies in the Syrians themselves.
“What is amazing about Syria is the resilience of the Syrian people,” he said. “What gives you hope is this extraordinary and educated young generation, ready to engage in a very positive way in the new Syria. »
Across the country, he noted that young people have launched local initiatives, from cleaning public parks to supporting local services – small acts that rebuild a sense of community after conflict.
“They have seen what has happened in other countries – post-conflict situations in the region and beyond – and they are doing their best to move in the right direction. »
A long way to go
Financial pressures are increasing, but donors have shown “very positive indications” of increased funding for Syria, according to Al Nsour.
“There is great interest from major donors in promoting human rights in the new Syria,” he explained, both inside and outside the region.
Despite numerous obstacles, he underlined the determination of Syrians to rebuild their country on the basis of human rights.
As Syrians mark Human Rights Day this year, perhaps the most important message is clear: progress, fragile as it is, is finally visible – and hope grows with it.
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
