Civil society organizations and community actors in Raqqa Governorate have followed with deep concern the incident in which Dr. Safa al-Hamdan was assaulted by the head of the Media Office at the Raqqa Health Directorate while she was performing her official duties in the Emergency Department of Raqqa National Hospital last Thursday.
This incident constitutes a clear violation of the dignity of healthcare workers, both women and men, and threatens a safe working environment within medical institutions. It also undermines healthcare personnel’s ability to carry out their professional and humanitarian duties at a time when they should be protected and supported, rather than subjected to abuse or assault.
This incident takes on an additional dimension because it targeted a woman while she was performing her professional duties, within the broader context of the ongoing challenges women face in the workplace, including the risks of violence, abuse, and gender-based discrimination. Such assaults affect not only the direct victim but also undermine women’s sense of safety and confidence in the workplace, and may contribute to entrenching a culture of silence, fear, and impunity.
In line with their responsibility to uphold rights and justice, the organizations and community actors signing this statement strongly condemn all forms of assault or abuse against women and men working in the healthcare sector. They affirm that protecting healthcare personnel and ensuring a safe working environment free from violence and discrimination is a fundamental responsibility shared by all relevant authorities.
Accordingly, we call for:
- Opening a transparent and impartial investigation into the incident and holding any person found responsible accountable under applicable law.
- Taking clear measures to protect women and men working in the healthcare sector and to prevent any recurrence of assault or abuse within medical institutions.
- Ensuring a safe working environment that safeguards the dignity of women and all workers and guarantees respect for their rights while they perform their professional duties.
The signatories to this statement further affirm that tolerating any assault against women in the workplace, downplaying its seriousness, or attempting to justify it entrenches a culture of impunity, weakens efforts to combat gender-based violence, and limits women’s ability to participate safely and effectively in professional and public life. They also stress that hospitals and other public institutions must remain safe spaces where laws and regulations are respected, and that all personnel, including physicians, media professionals, and other employees, are responsible for upholding the law and referring any disputes or misunderstandings to the competent authorities.
Protecting healthcare personnel and safeguarding their dignity, particularly that of women, is not merely an individual responsibility but a collective and moral obligation essential to ensuring the continuity of healthcare services, advancing equality, and strengthening the rule of law within public institutions.
Signatory Organizations:
- Ajyal
- New Horizons
- Alwane
- Colors for Development and Relief
- Anwar Al Ghad
- Inmaa Al-Furat
- Basmeh & Zeitooneh
- PÊL- Civil Waves
- House of Citizenship
- Women Support and Empowerment Unit in Bizaah
- Jannat Watan
- Dernaa for Development
- Deirna Nexus
- Oxygen Shabab
- Subul Al-Salam
- CIHEAM Bari
- Syrians for Truth and Justice – STJ
- Zahret Al-Narinj – Nisa’ Mulhimat
- Okkaz
- Four Seasons
- Kesh Malek
- For Feminism
- Syrian Feminist Lobby – SFL
- Ayn Al-Madina Magazine
- Green Space
- Syrian Foundation for Research and Sustainable Development – SFRSD
- Deir Ezzor Platform
- Women for Peace
- The Day After – TDA
- Yam for Peace and Development
Individuals:
- Alaa Al-Allan
- Ahmad Al-Sulaiman
- Ahmad Saleh Al-Nemat
- Ahmad Habib Al-Darwish
- Ahmad Khalil Al-Mohammad
- Eyad Al-Abd Al-Nasser
- Ayman Al-Hassoun
- Ayham Oghlu
- Omaima Hamidoush
- Elizabeth Tsurkov
- Batoul Al-Shaher
- Bashar Al-Shehab
- Basheer Al-Huwaidi
- Boushra Akkam
- Basma Hamad Al-Faidi
- Hassan Al-Kassab
- Hamza Al-Mulla
- Khawla Dunia
- Khaled Al-Salama
- Khaled Al-Hilal
- Khalil Al-Zahir
- Doris Awad
- Dima Al-Jowher
- Riad Hammoud Yassin
- Rima Fleihan
- Rosa Obeid
- Ramadan Al-Kalah
- Zahiya Al-Hajou
- Sarah Al-Khalil
- Sami Al-Hamad
- Suzan Suleiman
- Doha Al-Ftaih
- Doha Al-Laji
- Abdulhakim Al-Hajou
- Abdulhamid Al-Sheikh
- Abdulhadi Al-Issa
- Afra Hashem
- Anoud Mustafa
- Fatima Bakour
- Fardous Salama
- Kinda Jawish
- Kawthar Al-Ma’youf
- Lina Wafai
- Lama Al-Hizber
- Mazen Al-Hassoun
- Mohammad Al-Khater
- Mohammad Ouda Al-Hussein
- Mohammad Katbeh
- Muslim Hamada
- Mustafa Al-Jaradi
- Muthanna Al-Mu’aydi
- Maha Isber
- Maha Al-Huwaidi
- Maha Abdul-Salam Al-Karaf
- Muheidi Saleh Al-Nemat
- Mia Al-Rahbi
- Mais Omar
- Malak Al-Taha
- Muna Al-Freij
- Nesreen Al-Reesh
- Ninar Khalifa
- Huda Al-Ramadan
- Huda Al-Samir
- Wijdan Nassif
- Wajd Al-Hindi
- Wisal Al-Ibrahim
- Wissam Issa Al-Aboud
- Yamam Abdul-Qader Al-Abd Al-Ghani
- Yusra Al-Ahmad