Women, Work & War: Syrian women and the struggle to survive five years of conflict

The experience of five years of war and displacement has changed every aspect of the lives of millions of Syrian women and men, girls and boys. Both in Syria and in neighboring countries, Syrian women and adolescent girls are particularly affected as ever-changing circumstances force them to take on additional roles and responsibilities.
Not only do Syrian women continue to shoulder the main responsibility for household chores (with men being absent or unable to fulfill their traditional roles as breadwinners), but women are now often also responsible for providing the resources to cover basic needs. In these circumstances, women are exhausted to their limits, and exposed to considerable protection risks both inside and outside the house. Women face sniper fire as they cross front lines to smuggle essential medical supplies into besieged areas. Women walk long distances to fetch water they used to get from the tap. Women wash their dishes with ashes.
However, in the midst of destruction, Syrian women and adolescent girls have also discovered new strengths, skills, and capacities, and have conquered spaces in their families and communities previously closed to them. Forced by the circumstances, women are constantly exploring new opportunities to contribute to their family’s survival, adapting previous livelihoods and creating new ones.