The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the initiation of the formation of the High Electoral Commission on Tuesday, a few weeks after the controversial unveiling of the “social contract” in Syria. The 95th regular session of the People’s Democratic Assembly, documented on the Autonomous Administration’s Facebook account, highlighted the decision to establish the Commission at the Autonomous Administration Center, comprising 20 members.
The distribution of Commission members is as follows: al-Jazeera (5), Deir-ez-Zor (3), Al-Raqqa (3), Tabqa (2), Manbijj (3), al-Furat (2), and Afrin (2). Additionally, a committee, comprising the Legal Committee of the People’s Democratic Assembly, experts from the 2017 Commission, and others, was formed. This committee’s responsibility is to draft legislation outlining the functioning of the High Electoral Commission and an electoral law.
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Simultaneously, the Women’s Coordination in Autonomous Administration conducted its annual 2023 meeting on Monday. The agenda focused on defining the objectives for the year, including hosting a women’s coordination conference to elucidate the provisions of the social contract for women and their roles.
SDF Social Contract
On December 13th, the General Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria within the SDF unveiled an updated version of the social contract, officially named the “Social Contract for the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the North and East of Syria.” This move mirrors the characterization of Iraqi Kurdistan as the “Kurdistan Region.”
Comprising four chapters with a total of 134 articles, the amended contract begins with the first chapter outlining fundamental principles, consisting of 36 articles. Title II of the contract delves into fundamental rights and freedoms, while Part III addresses societal order. General provisions are encapsulated in Part IV.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria highlighted that the revised social contract emerged from numerous decisions, meetings, and consultations, ultimately leading to a consensus on the final draft. The administration explained that the latest draft underwent scrutiny by the General Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, where members, along with representatives from the legislative councils in the Autonomous and Civil Administrations, approved the social contract for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
The Autonomous Administration, functioning in areas controlled by the SDF, defines the social contract as “a set of theoretical and practical foundations, laws, and organizational rules developed to delineate the relationship between the governing body and the governed. It aims to define the rights and duties of individuals and officials within society.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
