Syria has affected women's educational plans by announcing new admission regulations for universities. Lin Najab, 23, from Damascus, is one of the few women in the mechatronics engineering program at her college, and these changes have impacted her academic plans.
New Educational Restrictions
Najab said: "My main plan was to continue my studies at the master's level." However, in early October, the Syrian Ministry of Education announced that two new universities, namely the National Defense University and the Syrian Security Sciences University, have exclusively reserved some courses for male students. This decision could complicate Najab's academic plans. She explained: "Now I have to think about other options."
New Challenges for Women
Although Syrian women can still study in fields offered by the two new security institutions, it is only in other public universities or colleges. Najab added: "Moving to another province and being away from family brings other challenges." Student dormitories are usually not comfortable, and a woman's life alone in conservative Syrian society is still criticized.
Protests against the decision to ban women from courses related to defense and security have sparked significant reactions both domestically and internationally. Activists like Fatoun Kharbatli from Aleppo are strongly opposed to such restrictions and believe that everyone should be able to choose their field of study based on their abilities.
Moreover, this decision could indicate further changes in women's rights in Syria. Human rights organizations have stated that these discriminatory laws clearly violate Syria's international laws and are part of a troubling pattern that limits women's roles in government institutions. These restrictions are not limited to military universities but have also been applied in other fields.
Ultimately, these decisions send a message to Syrian youth about what is possible for them and what is not. Activists believe that such messages make it harder to confront family and societal expectations for women.
