PILPG has prepared several papers in consultation with the Syrian Opposition aimed to aid Syrian civil society as it navigates post-conflict statebuilding in the post-Assad era.
Legal Memoranda
National Dialogue Handbook
Additional Materials
PILPG has produced legal memoranda that offer comparative state practice relevant for the Syria context, including information on conducting National Dialogues and considerations for post-conflict governance structures.
In 2011, during peace efforts in Syria, PILPG drafted a policy planning paper to examine how interim governing authorities addressed minority inclusion in transitional governance, drawing lessons from other post-conflict contexts. The insights remain relevant today as Syria navigates this pivotal period.
Based on thirty years of experience, PILPG has created a Handbook to stakeholders in preparing for and hosting a National Political Dialogue (NPD). National Political Dialogues are inclusive and participatory mechanisms for political and social stakeholders to negotiate political transitions. State practice shows that NPDs based on broad political settlement and inclusiveness are the most likely to succeed in facilitating lasting political reform and durable peace. However, because there is no “perfect” model for a NPD, the Handbook seeks to serve as a guide to illustrate a range of best practices and principles for designing and carrying out an NPD.
Once parties to a conflict have made a commitment to peace, they often agree to resolve the outstanding issues of the political transition through a participatory dialogue process. The design and preparation of a NPD is the crucial first step to carrying out this process. Though the design of a state’s dialogue will differ according to the particular context of a particular state, the most successful dialogues share several key features and objectives, including a strong mandate with well-defined goals, inclusive and participatory processes that are jointly-owned by all major stakeholders, and public buy-in and acceptance of the dialogue process. The most effective way to ensure that a NPD fulfills these characteristics of a successful dialogue is through careful preparation and design.
This Handbook explores the various aspects of planning for and carrying out a successful national political dialogue as part of a broader peace process and political settlement effort. Planning a NPD involves focusing on key elements and considerations for during the preparatory stages of a NPD, such as establishing dialogue guarantees, forming a preparatory committee, setting an agenda for discussions, selecting participants, establishing a governance structure, and engaging in public outreach. Conducting a NPD involves key elements of carrying out the dialogue discussions, including the structure of the talks and division of work, seeking support from international actors, managing dialogue logistics, administering internal governance structures, encouraging internal decision-making and consensus building, and finalizing outcomes and recommendations. The Handbook addresses each of these elements to help practitioners design and carry out a dialogue that can lead to the implementation of meaningful outcomes.
PILPG has produced an episode of the Hot Takes podcast, focused on building a government in Post-Assad Syria. Click below to listen to the episode.
Syria after Bashar Al Assad: The 2016 roadmap to Peace
In 2016, amid the chaos of war, Syria’s opposition united in Geneva to draft a visionary roadmap; a plan for democracy, justice, and institution rebuilding. Now, with the historic ousting of Bashar al-Assad, this blueprint takes on new relevance as Syrians face the challenge of shaping their future.
This episode of the Hot Takes podcast explores how the opposition crafted this groundbreaking plan, what it entails, and if it remains a critical guide for navigating Syria’s new reality.
With challenges ahead and opportunities within reach, this episode reflects on a time when Syrians, as part of an eclectic and diverse opposition group, worked tirelessly for two years to craft a plan aimed at shaping their nation's future.