May 17, 2024

The Syrian political process was built on several international statements and resolutions, the first of which was the Geneva Communique of 2012, which called for a political solution in Syria, the formation of a transitional governing body, the establishment of a safe and neutral environment, drafting a new constitution and holding free elections. This Communique was followed by UNSCR 2118 of 2013, which endorsed the Geneva Communique. Then UNSCR 2254 (2015) was adopted affirming a democratic political transition in Syria within a safe and neutral environment, the drafting of a new constitution, the release of detainees, the return of the displaced, the delivery of aid to the Syrian people without restrictions or conditions, and lifting the blockade on besieged areas.

No tangible developments were achieved to live up to the aspirations of the statements and resolutions because of international disputes and the obstruction of the Syrian regime and its allies of the political solution path. These disputes continued from Geneva II conference in 2014 with the Syrian-Syrian negotiations, to Vienna first conference in 2015, which called for the start of a political process that can lead to a reliable, comprehensive, non-sectarian government, then drafting a constitution and holding elections under UN adminsitration.

The idea of establishing the Syrian Negotiation Commission began after the Vienna conferences in order to create a political body that encompasses all Syrian opposition entities to begin negotiations with the Syrian regime under the sponsorship of  the United Nations. Saudi Arabia was internationally assigned to bring together the Syrian political and military opposition at Riyadh I conference in September 2015. The High Negotiations Commission was formed, with 100 Syrian figures from all sects and Syrian opposition movements, and held 4 rounds of negotiations with the regime in Geneva.

Riyadh II conference was held in November 2017. The High Negotiations Commission was re-named as the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) and expanded to include a greater participation of Syrian independent figures. Currently, the SNC includes the following components: The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, the National Coordination Body for the Forces of Democratic Change, the Cairo Platform, the Moscow Platform, the Kurdish National Council, the Military Factions, and Independents. After that, the SNC introduced and approved its bylaws.

The SNC endeavors to ensure the future Syrian political regime represents the Syrian people across the spectrum, with no place for Bashar al-Assad and members of his regime. It believes that the political solution is the primary strategic option based on the Geneva Communique and UNSCRs 2118 and 2254, which stipulate the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers. Therefore, the SNC has engaged in two rounds of political negotiations with the Syrian regime under the supervision of the United Nations.

The Syrian opposition forces within the SNC have agreed on a paper called the “12-point paper,” which was first adopted in Sochi, Russia, and moved to Geneva. In November 2017, at the Geneva eighth conference, Staffan de Mistura, then UN Special Envoy for Syria, named this paper “Special Envoy’s 12 Living Intra-Syrian Essential Principles”. The most important part of these principles was related to the formation of a constitutional committee concerned with constitutional reform.

On September 23, 2019, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, announced the formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee considering it the beginning of the political path out of the crisis in accordance with UNSCR 2254, as the committee’s main mission was to achieve the constitutional reform that contributes to a political settlement in Syria. The Constitutional Committee was formed in accordance with UNSCR 2254 to facilitate the political process, with a timetable for drafting a new constitution and holding free and fair elections under the supervision of the United Nations.

According to the decision to form the Syrian Constitutional Committee, it consists of two bodies: a small body and a large body. The large body includes 150 members, 50 from the Syrian regime’s government, 50 from the SNC, and 50 from civil society. While the small body includes 45 members of those in the large body with 15 delegates for each party; namely, the regime’s government, the SNC, and civil society. The main task of the small body is to prepare and draft constitutional proposals, which must be approved by the large body. Additionally, upon the Special Envoy’s suggestion, approximately 30 percent of the members of the large and small bodies must be women.

In the context of promoting the effective participation of Syrian women, the SNC considers the Syrian woman as a full partner in decision making with a leading role in Syrian institutions, notably in the process of drafting the new constitution which contributes to achieving political settlements and sustainable peace. Hence, every progress in the field of women’s empowerment is considered a positive step towards promoting their role and increasing their influence. This will enable the Syrian woman to be more resilient towards political challenges and contribute side by side with men to build a democratic and equal society after the war.

Empowering Syrian women stems from the impact of the war on them in particular. In fact, women constitute half of the society and had an active role in the revolution to overthrow dictatorship and achieve democracy. Syrian women played the role of fighters, revolutionists and politicians. They also suffered from the loss of men in various positions. On the psychological, social and economic levels, among other forms of suffering, many women have lost the providers of their families. Since women endured most of the suffering imposed by the regime, it was obvious for them to have a role in rebuilding society. This requires empowering women by including them in leadership roles to face major challenges and achieve peace and development.

The SNC is striving to ensure that the regime does not monopolize Syrian representation in various arenas while also working to keep UNSCR 2254 effective as a foundation for various policies at both the UN and international levels. It adopts a proactive policy, aiming to achieve incremental gains at all levels and endeavors to uphold key international decisions upon which the political solution will be based, despite attempts by the regime and its allies to circumvent them. Additionally, it works to keep the Syrian issue a primary concern at both the international and regional levels, recognizing it as a pivotal issue in the region as stability in the region cannot be achieved without a just resolution of the Syrian crisis.

In order to achieve this, the SNC relies of pushing towards the implementation of international resolutions, through several paths:

• Working to build the best relations with states and maintain permanent communication with them, as well as working with organizations that support and endorse the aspirations of the Syrian people to get rid of dictatorship and build a democratic state.
• Developing relations with active Syrian grassroot groups, civil society organizations, community activities, and local bodies, in addition to the Syrian forces present in asylum countries, Syrian communities and refugees around the world, as well as working with Syrians and their communities in the liberated areas. Trying to formalize this relationship and make it useful to give impetus to the Syrian issue at international forums.
• Since its formation, the SNC has been working continually on legal and human rights files, most important of which are detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, refugees and displaced persons, and all legal issues of concern to the Syrian people. This work continues through communication with brotherly and friendly countries, as well as institutions and organizations concerned with legal and human rights issues. The SNC believes that advancing legal files and holding the Syrian regime accountable is an essential part of its strategy for dealing with the political process.
• In all its policies and positions, the SNC engages positively with everything that could be in the interest of the Syrian people and alleviate their suffering, while persisting with their main demands to get rid of dictatorship and achieve a state of democracy and dignity. All of this while facing the intransigence of the Syrian regime, which intends to impose its security policies in complete disregard of international resolutions.