( Middle East Monitor ) – Syria had been embroiled in a protracted conflict and plagued by authoritarianism for decades. While the brutal regime of Bashar al Asad has collapsed, the ordeal is far from over for Syrians as they are now confronted with the rapidly accelerating threat of climate change looming on the horizon. Syria stands among the most severely affected countries by the climate crisis as it is ranked 164th on the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) index with an alarming score of 35.7—one of the highest vulnerabilities and low readiness levels, globally.
The environmental catastrophe is inextricably intertwined with the violent conflict that the country has endured. As a consequence, Syria has been grappling with a host of environmental challenges including scorching temperatures, raging wild fires and most importantly debilitating droughts. The dual effect of the destruction of the civilian infrastructure caused by the country’s 14-year conflict coupled with the devastating impacts of climate change on its stability, security and viability have amplified political instability and preexisting socio-economic vulnerabilities stemming from the conflict.
Since 2011, a third of the country’s forests have vanished, air pollution levels have soared, while two-thirds of its water facilities have suffered extensive damage. In May 2021, the water levels in the Euphrates river fell to an all-time low, causing the worst drought since 1953. Such deplorable conditions have resulted in the loss of agricultural-based livelihoods and aggravated water scarcity and food insecurity, leading to climate change-related displacement, additionally.
Amid the cascading crisis, Syrian women are the most susceptible to the repercussions of such environmental degradation as they have been disproportionately affected by climate variability. As climate change is increasingly recognised as a threat multiplier responsible for exacerbating gender inequality, it is now the need of the hour to become more attuned to the gendered impact of climate change that has been amplified by the consequences of the conflict and the structural inequalities and disparities perpetuated against women, particularly.
In a recent study investigating the impact of climate change on women’s health in 17 Middle Eastern and North African countries including Syria, scientists made an alarming discovery. It was revealed that a direct correlation exists between cancer mortality and global warming as climate change aggravates exposure to cancer risk through heightened ultraviolet radiation and air pollutants.
Moreover, the prevalence of war remnants and munitions residues put women at a higher risk as they are unaware of the dangers compared to men, resulting in severe disabilities, sensory impairments, and internal organ damage. As regular oil refineries have ceased operations in Syria, there has been a sharp rise in makeshift oil refineries. The emission of toxic gases from these refineries pose a carcinogenic risk to women. Water scarcity, lack of hygiene products and pollution have undermined hygiene standards while inadequate access to healthcare services has worsened their dilemma as women are not allowed to visit healthcare centers without a male guardian.
In the agricultural sector, women are central to production and comprise over 60 per cent of the labour force in Syria. It is a primary source of income for the majority of women and girls. In April 2025, 100 per cent of crops were reported to have been damaged owing to lack of rainfall. Such crop failures caused by prolonged periods of drought, extreme heat waves and widespread water scarcity are plunging women and girls deeper into an economic abyss, igniting a vicious cycle. Resultantly, the high levels of unemployment have transpired in higher poverty rates while the diminishing agricultural productivity has compounded food shortages and insecurity, exposing them to starvation and malnutrition.
In parallel, Turkey’s actions have wreaked havoc across the country. The construction of dams along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in conjunction with the military attacks on power stations, gas facilities and oil fields have disrupted access to water. The Alouk water station has been rendered inoperable, depriving over a million people of their primary source of water supply. As a consequence, women and young girls are forced to leave their homes and walk long distances to collect water from tankers, exposing them to the risk of physical injury.
Moreover, the intensity of the climate crisis has fuelled climate-induced migration. With men moving to urban peripheries, women have been forced to become the heads of the household and take on the burdensome responsibilities of farming along with domestic chores. Refugee women themselves also face dire circumstances as they are deprived of basic necessities of life such as food and subjected to human rights violations in host countries.
Armed groups also exploit migrant women due to their vulnerability and recruit them as opposed to providing protection. In addition, women and girls are becoming increasingly involved in smuggling activities to support their families. Many women involved in smuggling face sexual harassment at the hands of the smugglers and are lured into human trafficking networks as well.
In Syria, discriminatory practices against women are reinforced by gender stereotypes, patriarchal norms and cultural beliefs, resulting in gender-based violence and systemic abuse which have pervaded all facets of life. To survive economic hardships, women are compelled to work in unsafe environments further exposing them to harassment. The situation is more critical for widows and women whose husbands have emigrated as they face stigmatisation. With women entering the workforce, domestic tensions are also on the rise as men perceive it as a threat to their traditional breadwinner role. The gravity of the situation can be determined by the fact that the Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS) has ranked Syria 171 out of 177 countries.
Furthermore, the interplay of pervasive poverty and a devastated economy has hindered women and girls’ access to education. As a survival strategy, families marry off their underaged daughters because they are no longer able to contribute to the household economy. A report by the Rudaw Media Network reveals that Iraqi brokers travel to Syria in search of young brides for men in their fifties or sixties. The struggling Syrian families facing desperate times see this as an opportunity for financial relief as they marry their daughters off to these wealthy Iraqi men in exchange for dowries.
Photo by Salah Darwish on Unsplash
As Syria now enters a transitional period under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, it faces a momentous challenge of reconstructing a nation damaged by the pernicious confluence of deteriorating socio-economic conditions, violence, and escalating environmental hazards. With women being the most vulnerable and marginalised group affected by this predicament, it does not come as a surprise that Syria performs poorly on the Gender Inequality Index (GII) with a value of 0.490 which is considerably higher than the majority of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The panacea of this crisis lies in a multilayered and inclusive approach complemented with an intersectional framework integrated in the policy-formulation and implementation process to mitigate the impact of climate change on women. More importantly, it is imperative for local and international actors to introduce empowerment programmes for Syrian women aimed at raising awareness, building resilience, improving their livelihoods and encouraging their participation in dialogues and discussions on environmental policy and climate decision-making as well.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.
Zahra Zaman is a graduate in international relations, she writes on diverse issues, including geopolitics, foreign policy, diplomacy, human rights and security studies. She has worked as a research intern at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs and has contributed to the European Center for Populism Studies.
