Topic: Controversial Cultural and Religious Practices
Country: Syria
Delegate Name: Hannah Ziegler
School: Royal Oak High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Syria position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
In the world today, the practical and moral integrity of cultural practices among societies is being questioned as an obstacle to growth. Throughout its long and diverse cultural history, Syria has developed a wide range of practices and peoples who invest their identities into their cultural pride. In its independent history, Syria has put forth great efforts to strike a balance between cultural practices and the establishment of a free and prosperous way of life among its society. Many notable Syrian achievements on the front of curbing cultural hindrances have been brought about in the last century, such as Syria’s Law of Personal Status, under which a man was bound to demonstrate that he could financially support two wives before marrying the second one. Additionally, Syrian divorce laws used to follow Arabic tradition, but now court proceedings are required by law, and Syria is not listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a country in which female genital mutilation has been documented as a traditional practice. Progress, no matter how small or incremental, has been gradually made over time. However, running counter to the hopes of Syrian progression into a society in which its people are not hindered, but helped by their cultural expectations has been the seven year long extremist uprising and threat of foreign imperial interests, which has halted all progress, including and especially that which pertains to cultural evolution, in its tracks. It is no secret that people, when involved in tempestuous and prolonged contention, often fall victim to intensified cultural norms. This expectation predates modern society in the notion that during times of conflict, rigid and goal oriented ideals are followed more closely. This gives reason to why the average Syrian marital age in the years predating the conflict was 18.2 years. However, with the rise of extremist violence that has targeted and displaced millions of Syrian peoples, the average marital age has decreased and become synonymous with asylum efforts. As an additional hindrance, the Syrian state and the Muslim religion both strictly oppose Syria’s current dowry system, but it is deeply entrenched in the family structure as a means of economic gain in the midst of warfare. Syrian women face increased discrimination among western-backed extremist opposition groups, who have imposed strict and discriminatory rules on women and girls that have no basis in Syrian law. The extremist opposition to protective Syrian armed forces has even resorted to tactics as extreme and inhumane as the ancient cultural practice of cannibalism, all while still being backed by foreign allies. With that said, the international community cannot effectively solve this issue without taking into account the domestic conditions and foreign interventions that lead to certain cultural practices losing and regaining prevalence. These notions inform Syria’s policy that the most significant hindrance of cultural and political development is not simply traditional cultural practices, but rather the distorted notion that all lifestyles are unacceptable if they are not readily able to be morphed into westernized imperialist ideologies. To elaborate, it is blatant hypocrisy to criticize the “controversial” cultural practices of the Syrian government while handling a humanitarian and national security crisis. This hypocrisy is prolonged due to the western imperial forces that have contributed to so many of the most dire practices that have invaded Syria during its extremist conflict, including cannibalism. Syria acknowledges the cruelty and regressiveness of certain cultural practices, such as FGM, but also emphasizes that it is unrealistic to insinuate culture as the main proprietor of sociopolitical stagnance or instability. Knowing this, the international community must recognize that the condemnation of governments is not what will bring sustainable autonomy to all peoples of all cultures. Rather, respect-based, gradual change without infringement on state sovereignty is needed. This committee, therefore, must consider the resounding effects of what are bound to be its most popular proposals. How can we help one another overcome the barriers to sustainable development without irreversibly alienating cultural ways of life? How do we establish state sovereignty above foreign powers whose influences perpetrate detrimental cultural practices? If this committee opts to focus on how animal wellbeing can be better protected when viewed with cultural significance, how can we hold accountable the states that create both the supply and the demand for this market? If this committee focuses on culture as it pertains to the advancement of women, how can we help sovereign states solve these issues themselves, rather than becoming reliant on westernized ideals? With that said, this committee’s resolution must answer these questions and achieve three things if it is to accurately and wholly address the issue of controversial cultural practices around the world today. The first is simple and effortless: we must recognize the axiomatic principle that the world does not belong to a one size fits all cultural change program. Different cultures implement and maintain practices based on a variety of factors, more than just what is morally “right” and “wrong” in the eyes of foreign adversaries. These contributors may arise from any number of grounds, including but not limited to cases like Syria, where practices have risen to combat or aid in the destruction of decades of developmental progress by extremist groups and foreign influences. The second is a shift in focus. Countries across the international community must assist one another in developing approaches to controversial cultural practices that are sustainable on a country-by-country basis and not solely contingent upon defined guidelines that will lead to political upheaval. The third is for all countries to recognize the contributions that they have made in the fostering of these practices, whether via imperial ambition or support of economic markets, states, or extremists who promote detrimental cultural practices. Above all, Syria does not want states of the international community to let self serving foreign imperial influences intrude upon their ways of life and contribute to irreversible unrest. All of these solutions must be founded on the principles of international cooperation and, even more importantly, the safeguarding of the standards of international law. If the work done in this committee is not rooted in the basis of mutual respect, and instead resorts to rhetoric of condemnation or blatant lack of understanding of other cultures, our time on this topic will not be effectively spent. All countries must recognize the roles that they have played in fostering and encouraging cultural practices that are harmful to societies if this committee is to find success. Syria looks forward to working toward a productive solution with this committee.
