Syria bars women from most courses at new defense and security universities

Students, activists and Human Rights Watch condemn policy; officials say rules inherited from Assad era

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published26 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Syria's transitional government has introduced admissions rules that exclude women from almost all courses at one newly created security university and from certain courses at a defense university, drawing criticism from students, activists and Human Rights Watch over the direction of women's rights in the country.

The admissions rules, announced in October by Syria's education ministry, apply to the National University of Defense Sciences and the Syrian University for Security Sciences. The former restricts certain courses exclusively to male students, and the latter almost all of them, DW reported. Women can still study the affected subjects at other generalist universities or colleges.

Lin Najab, a 23-year-old mechatronics engineering student in Damascus, told DW the change has upended her plan to pursue a master's degree. "Now I have to start thinking about other options," she said. "For example, I might have to move to another province to study." She noted that moving away from family brings difficulties: student dormitories are uncomfortable, and conservative Syrians frown on a woman living alone. "Even if a girl decides she won't give up and wants to go study outside her province, her parents will be opposed to the idea, either for security reasons or because we simply don't want our daughters to go study somewhere else," she said.

Fatoun Kharbatli, an activist from Aleppo, opposed limiting subjects by gender. "A person should choose the field in which they see their abilities as lying," she told DW.

Qamar al-Yaser, a mother of three in rural Damascus, defended the ban. The excluded sectors "require a strong physique, they need big efforts, travel, organization out in the field and may require staying overnight at remote work sites," she said. "These conditions suit young men more than women."

Human Rights Watch said the rules "clearly violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a concerning pattern of actions by the transitional authorities that restrict women's role in state institutions and reinforce gender stereotypes."

Syrian officials have said the gender-exclusionary rules were carried over from the Assad-era colleges that were merged to create the new institutions earlier this year.

Other restrictions apply to women at a railways institute in Aleppo, oil and gas training organizations in Rmeilan, Homs, Deir el-Zour and Baniyas, and a radio and television course in Idlib. Men were barred from kindergarten and nursing school training and midwifery courses, which were to be women-only.

The admissions ban comes alongside education ministry changes to school textbooks for the 2026-2027 academic year. Journalists noticed that pictures of females with uncovered hair had been removed or altered to show headscarves, a bare-chested statue now wore a vest, and a picture of men dancing was gone.

Dina Arakji, author of a Middle East Institute study on women in Arab militaries, argued that "gender diversity in the security sector allows all citizens of a country to be perceived as equal in all aspects of their duties and obligations to the nation state, including defending it." Syrian activist Rana al-Ash wrote in a commentary for the Syrian Women's Political Movement that the admission requirements make confronting familial and societal expectations harder "because the educational institution endorses them."

Nadra Bunni, a Syrian analyst at the Middle East Institute Switzerland, said it remains unclear whether gender-based restrictions will become a feature of the new Syria. She asked whether the authorities will "institutionalize an expectation that government decisions can be questioned and potentially reversed" or "teach citizens that their voices carry little consequence."

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The admissions restrictions close off defense, security and technical career paths to young women in Syria at a moment when the transitional government is reshaping state institutions.
Human Rights Watch says the measures are part of a broader pattern restricting women's role in state institutions, raising questions about the new authorities' direction.
Student Lin Najab says the rules could force women to leave their home provinces to study, with family and social pressures working against them.

Background

Syria's post-Assad transitional government has been consolidating its rule since taking power. The National University of Defense Sciences was founded in mid-2026, and the two new colleges were created by merging existing Assad-era institutions. Officials say gender-exclusionary rules at the new universities were carried over from those colleges.

The education ministry has also altered school textbooks for the 2026-2027 academic year, removing images and symbols linked to former president Bashar Assad. Journalists have noted further changes, including covering women's hair and removing a picture of men dancing. Women currently hold just over 10% of seats in Syria's parliament, below a stated 20% target.

Key Perspectives

Lin Najab, student: Her plans for a master's degree are derailed, and she may need to move to another province; she argues gender should not determine academic opportunity.

Fatoun Kharbatli, Aleppo activist: A person should choose the field where their abilities lie, and limiting subjects by gender is wrong.

Qamar al-Yaser, mother of three: The ban is justified because the excluded work requires physical strength, travel and overnight stays that suit young men more.

Human Rights Watch: The rules violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a pattern restricting women's role in state institutions.

Syrian officials: The gender-exclusionary rules were carried over from the Assad-era colleges merged to create the new institutions.

Dina Arakji, Middle East Institute researcher: Gender diversity in the security sector allows all citizens to be seen as equal in duties and obligations, including defending the country.

Rana al-Ash, activist and writer: The admission requirements endorse familial and societal expectations, making it harder for women to confront them.

Nadra Bunni, Middle East Institute Switzerland analyst: It is unclear whether gender-based restrictions will become a feature of the new Syria, and whether the authorities will accept public questioning of their decisions.

What to Watch

Whether the transitional authorities respond to public criticism and reconsider the admissions rules, as activist commentary has urged.
Whether further education restrictions or textbook changes follow, which would signal a deeper pattern in state policy.
Whether young Syrian women, like Lin Najab, take up studies in other provinces despite family and social objections.

Sources

A bad omen? Syria bans women from university courses · DW English

Checked

10 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe headline says women are barred from most courses at the new defense and security universities.DW English: “The former now restricts certain courses exclusively to male students, and the latter almost all of them.”
Partly supportedThe policy is condemned by students, activists and Human Rights Watch.DW English: “Fatoun Kharbatli, an activist from Aleppo, is also opposed to the idea of limiting certain subjects to one gender.”
Partly supportedSyria’s transitional government introduced the admissions rules.DW English: “new rules were announced by Syria's education ministry”
SupportedThe security university excludes women from almost all courses, while the defense university excludes them from certain courses.DW English: “The former now restricts certain courses exclusively to male students, and the latter almost all of them.”
SupportedThe rules drew criticism over the direction of women’s rights in Syria.DW English: “Does this mean Syria's new government is heading in an increasingly restrictive direction when it comes to women's rights? Human Rights Watch believes so.”
Partly supportedLin Najab said the change upended her plan to pursue a master’s degree.DW English: “These new policies could derail Najab's plans.”
SupportedNajab said, “Now I have to start thinking about other options.”DW English: ““Now I have to start thinking about other options,” she explained.”
Partly supportedOfficials said the gender-exclusionary rules were carried over from Assad-era colleges merged to create the new institutions.DW English: “Officials have said that some of the gender-exclusionary rules implemented at the new security institutes were actually carried over from the Assad-era colleges that were fused together to create them earlier this year.”
SupportedThe source says restrictions also applied at a railways institute, oil and gas training organizations, and a radio and television course; some training courses were women-only.DW English: “Restrictions on female students were also applied at a railways institute in Aleppo, oil and gas training organizations in Rmeilan, Homs, Deir el-Zour and Baniyas, and a radio and television course in Idlib. Elsewhere men were barred from kindergarten and nursing school training and midwifery courses. These were to be women-only.”
SupportedJournalists noticed textbook images of uncovered-haired females were removed or altered, a bare-chested statue wore a vest, and a picture of men dancing was gone.DW English: “Pictures of females in the textbooks who had uncovered hair had been removed, or altered so they were now wearing headscarves. A bare-chested statue pictured in one textbook was now wearing a vest. A picture of men dancing was also gone.”