Syria's NGOs shift from wartime substitute to state partner after Assad's fall

More than a year after President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, Syria’s civil society is redefining its relationship with the state. Deputy minister of social affairs and labour Bahjat Hajjar, once a coordinator of local councils in opposition-held areas, now oversees the licensing of NGOs, noting that registration has become simple, cheap and limited to groups without criminal convictions. While the number of registered associations has risen sharply, experts like Mutasem Syoufi caution that sheer quantity does not equal a strong civic space, given decades of emergency-driven structures and limited public participation.

Activists such as Alia Shams describe a split among organisations: those registering under new rules, those refusing out of distrust, and those fully aligning with the government, narrowing space for independent action. Legal uncertainty persists, with a 1958 law still requiring prior approval for foreign funding and recent ministerial circulars prompting protests. As ministries reclaim functions like clinics and schools, civil society must prove local legitimacy and negotiate a partnership rather than a return to control.