Idlib’s women emerge as the driving force of social resilience, economic necessity, and structural transformation in the new Syria.
The women of Idlib have become the most transformative social force in a region often stereotyped as restrictive and male-dominated. Their overwhelming presence in higher education and their active role in both public and private sectors dismantle simplistic assumptions about Islamism and gender. Far from being marginalized, women sustain local economies, support educational continuity, and strengthen community resilience. Their participation is not symbolic but essential, marking them as a central pillar of stability and state-building in the new Syria.
The women of Idlib stand out as the most dynamic, productive, and transformative force of society, even in the shadow of war, poverty, and political turmoil. The fact that two-thirds of the city’s 26,000 university students are women is one of the clearest signs of this transformation. Their dominance in education reflects not only individual achievement but also a structural shift shaping the future of the entire community. Today, women in Idlib form an essential part of both the public and private sectors—ranging from teaching and engineering to healthcare and entrepreneurship.
The commonly repeated external narrative that depicts Idlib as a “closed, oppressive, male-dominated” society is sharply contradicted by realities on the ground. Women here are not confined to domestic roles; they sustain social life, support the local economy, and play an indispensable role in the continuity of educational institutions. This lived reality challenges the often-repeated cliché that “Islamism suppresses women” and reveals a far more complex and vibrant social picture.
The social weight carried by women in Idlib is one of the strongest indicators of the broader intellectual transformation emerging in the new Syria. Their active engagement is not a matter of ideological debate but an economic necessity, a prerequisite for stability, and an essential component of state-building. For this reason, the women of Idlib rise to prominence not only through their achievements in education but also through the roles they play in reinforcing community resilience, sustaining local structures, and shaping the future. They are the most visible social force and the true engine of change behind the self-confidence of the new Syria.
