This analytical paper presents a consolidated analysis of community civic dialogues conducted by SYCAC across eleven Syrian governorates between December 2025 and January 2026.
The dialogues brought together civil society actors, community leaders, professionals, women, and young people from diverse backgrounds. Their purpose was to understand how communities currently interpret belonging, coexistence, authority, security, and the prospects for rebuilding a shared political and social space after years of conflict and fragmentation.
Geographic Coverage
The paper draws on dialogues and consultations conducted in Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, As-Suwayda, Daraa, Idlib, Deir ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah, Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Tartous.
Key Findings
- Citizenship, belonging, and access to protection remain central concerns.
- Security is a necessary foundation for civic and political participation.
- Transitional justice and the legacy of past violations continue to shape community expectations.
- Hate speech and misinformation can rapidly intensify local tensions.
- Relations between communities and public institutions remain affected by distrust and perceived inequality.
- Women and young people play important informal peacebuilding roles but have limited access to formal decision-making.
- Communities seek a new social contract based on dignity, equality, accountability, and predictable governance.
Priorities for Future Programming
The findings highlight the need for locally adapted peacebuilding interventions that also contribute to national cohesion. Communities emphasized inclusive civic participation, trusted mediation mechanisms, sustained dialogue, meaningful representation of women and young people, economic opportunities, protection from stigmatization, support for civil society, and stronger links between communities and policy processes.
The paper recommends long-term and locally grounded approaches that build on existing community resources. It also stresses that peacebuilding cannot be separated from security, livelihoods, reliable information, accountable governance, and honest engagement with questions of justice.
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