In a country ravaged by years of conflict, the resilience of civil society remains high, even if the operational environment remains severely restricted. Syrian-led civil society organisations operating from neighbouring countries (Lebanon and Turkey in particular) also continue to struggle faced with increased restrictions, leading to operational challenges.

EED approach and added value

• Enable civil society in Syria and neighbouring countries to keep engaging with local communities and play a role in their society
• Support for civil society groups that have been forcibly displaced either inside Syria or in neighbouring countries and that are eager to continue their struggle for democratic change
• Assist Syrian-led initiatives to develop capacity of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries

Examples of supported initiatives

• Organisations that seek to foster civic engagement of local communities including on local governance, justice, or citizenship issues
• Initiatives focusing on alternative media and the arts as means of communicating the values of democracy
• Initiatives addressing youth, women, and women’s rights, in particular among refugee populations

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