Empowered or constrained? Transnational funds and feminist activism in (post-)conflict Syria

Feminist activism in Syria has grown substantially since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict and the influx of transnational funding in 2011, compared to its limited and often informal presence prior to that period. While the intersection between transnational capital and feminist activism is a global phenomenon, it takes a particularly distinct shape in the Syrian context—one marked by its status as a (post)conflict zone and a history of state-imposed restrictions on civil society. This paper investigates how these dynamics have reshaped feminist activism in Syria by drawing on oral history interviews with leaders of Syrian feminist NGOs, as well as a critical discourse analysis of post-2011 funding documents. The findings reveal that access to transnational funding played a key role in enabling new actors to join the feminist movement, while also reshaping internal dynamics within newly established organisations. Furthermore, feminist activism in Syria has experienced notable shifts in its thematic focus and strategic orientation after funding came in, reflecting both emerging local needs and donor priorities. However, these changes remain constrained in scope and influence due to the power asymmetries embedded in donor-recipient relationships. The study highlights the need to critically examine how funding flows affect feminist agency in an ongoing conflict-affected contexts.