Mariah Al Abdeh

From the outset of the crisis, women have played a significant role in challenging violent and extremist agendas inside Syria. However, the difference between Syrian women’s definition of extremism and that of the international community is very deep: for Syrian women, every act of violence committed in the war is 'ideological and terrorist' in nature, being constructed upon the logic of the extermination of the 'Other'.

[This article is the outcome of a partnership between SyriaUntold and openDemocracy]. Five years in, with almost 5 million refugees outside Syria, 6.5 million internally displaced, and 450,000 deaths, the Syrian war is a humanitarian disaster of extraordinary proportions. In this current grim reality, why think about mental health services? Is it advisable to treat the severely ill first (the clinical approach), or to prioritize the strengthening of community ties (the population health approach)?

Whatever the political outcome, transitioning from violence to peace is not just about the removal of violence. How can this future be achieved and who will do this work? As the conflict in Syria enters its seventh year, there are two widespread assumptions about the future of the country. The first is that a peace deal will involve a transition of power from the government of President Bashar al-Assad to someone else. The second is that such a transition will lead to peace.