What we do
SLDP is a legal NGO and is constantly addressing challenges and needs where its skill set is necessary to navigate the Syrian context and the related legal challenges.
To that end, we have established two units:
The International Law Support Unit, ILSU:
With a mandate of equipping Syrian NGOs – including victims, survivors and families’ associations and women-led organizations – with self-sufficient capacity in international law to conduct their legal and advocacy efforts, to accomplish their mission in fighting impunity creatively, and fully exercise and fulfill their rights to truth, justice and remedy.
International Law Support:
ILSU assists SNGOs’ in understanding the role and potential of international law in the pursuit of justice for Syria, and builds their capacity in utilizing international law within their legal and advocacy efforts in an effective and creative manner. SLDP’s support is reactive to SNGOs requests and proactive when legal opportunities arise.
Victim-Centered Legal Support:
ILSU empowers victims, survivors and families’ associations in their legal and advocacy efforts aimed at the full exercise and fulfillment of their rights to truth, justice, remedy and participation. ILSU’s support is provided through a victim-centered approach aligned to the needs, vision and aspirations of victims, survivors and families.
Engaging with the Global South countries:
SLDP facilitates SNGOs’ access and effective engagement to Global South, with the aim to ensure States’ alignment and convergence on Syrian-led justice and human rights demands for Syria in a sustainable and long-term manner.
Engaging with the UN Human Rights Bodies:
SLDP works on increasing Syrian NGOs’ effective access and engagement with the UN Human Rights Bodies as innovative means to advance and further accountability, access to remedy and human rights-based reforms in Syria.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESS UNIT, HRBU:
With a mandate to increase the ability of Syrian CSOs and duty bearers, including State actors, policy makers, businesses, INGOs, and UN agencies, to indicate, highlight, and influence accountability measures against entities and businesses involved in human rights abuses in Syria
Improving Human Rights Due Diligence of Humanitarian Actors Operating in Syria
SLDP engages with humanitarian actors, including INGOs and UN agencies, to improve their practices and assessments to better identify risky suppliers, tackle aid diversion, and ensure heightened human rights due diligence to prevent impunity for business-related human rights abuses in Syria and the financing of suspected war criminals.
Through SLDP’s combined knowledge of the conflict, the economic situation in Syria, and business and human rights norms, SLDP provides INGOs and UN agencies with support on developing Syrian context-specific human rights due diligence for procurement activities in Syria.
Seeking Accountability Through Sanctions Regimes:
As judicial accountability and transitional justice mechanisms are long-term activities, SLDP seeks the imposition of sanctions against perpetrators of business-related human rights abuses in Syria as an interim accountability measure. Sanctions have the potential to prevent further abuses, combat war profiteering, and break the cycle of the war economy.
Increasing Syrian NGOs’ Capacity on Business & Human Rights:
SLDP works to increase Syrian civil society organizations’ and other stakeholders’ understanding of business and human rights in the Syrian context, with a view to tackling war profiteering and advancing human rights due diligence in the early recovery stage.
SLDP as a Consultancy
SLDP also offers its services as a consultancy (including partially subsidised services) to advise, guide and inform different stakeholders by:
- Bridging the gap between the theory and implementation of the sanctions regimes by answering key research questions, develop innovative reformation recommendations to policy makers and offer more clarity and understanding about compliance with different sanctions regimes to relevant stakeholders
- Building and strengthening strategic approaches to victim-centred justice and accountability interventions
- Providing legal support including advice, training and guidance, to respond to requests relevant to international law and its application in the Syrian context
- Identifying best practices and opportunities for robust human rights due diligence in the procurement process of local and international organisations, humanitarian agencies and businesses while implementing projects in Syria.
For any questions about our services, please fill the form :