More than 12 years into the Syrian revolution, people continue to suffer the daily reality of airstrikes, surface-missile attacks, torture and detention, and the denial of humanitarian aid.
The Syrian people are ready for peace. In recent days, there have been peaceful protests in cities like Daraa and Al Suweida, where Syrians have called for political changes and for all parties to uphold UN Resolution 2254, which calls for a ceasefire and political settlement in Syria.
The Syrian conflict has had a devastating impact on Syrian women, many of whom are the sole breadwinners of their families, said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield:
“Pre-existing gender inequalities, discriminatory laws, and social injustices exacerbate the challenges that women face. We call on all parties to the conflict in Syria to end restrictions on women and grant equal access to education, legal rights, civil documentation, and property records.”
Syrian children and displaced people also continue to suffer under the current conditions, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield:
“Across the country, millions of children remain out of school, putting them at high risk of child labor, early and forced marriage. The bottom line is this: Until conditions improve, the safe and dignified return of the displaced will not be possible. Syrians will not return so long as they risk being drafted into the Syrian army, unjustly detained, tortured, and forcibly disappeared.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield called for all parties to the conflict to release those arbitrarily detained, to provide human rights organizations access to detention facilities and those within them, and to share information on the missing with families. The UN estimates that there are at least 155,000 missing and unjustly detained Syrians.
Russia continues to stymie political progress in Syria, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. Moreover, the Assad regime’s lack of action on broad political transition initiatives, as well as the dire, day-to-day issues facing the Syrian people, demonstrate the government’s contempt for its people.
The United States will continue to promote accountability for the Assad regime’s abuses, including by applying and enforcing sanctions against those who deserve them. U.S. sanctions will remain in place until there is concrete, measurable progress toward a political solution.
“The Syrian people deserve our full support,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. “They deserve peace and security and justice. And we will continue to stand with them in their time of need.”
