Women of Northeast Syria Stand in Solidarity with Coastal Women Through Extensive Support Campaign
The solidarity initiative from women's movements in northeastern Syria demonstrates a profound awareness of the importance of uniting Syrian women to address crisis consequences and build a future ens
March 24, 2025, 10:28 pm

Women of Northeast Syria Stand in Solidarity with Coastal Women Through Extensive Support Campaign

استهداف الساحل السوري

The Joint Activities Platform for Women's Movements in northeastern Syria has launched a comprehensive solidarity campaign supporting women in the Syrian coastal region. The platform expressed condemnation of violations targeting civilians and affirmed its commitment to unifying Syrian women's efforts in addressing the crisis aftermath.

The platform announced this initiative through a statement delivered by Amina Omar, a member of the Women's Coordination in northeastern Syria, at the March 12 Stadium in Qamishli. Representatives from political parties, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Jazira Region, and the Syrian Democratic Council attended the event.

The statement highlighted Syria's transformation into "an open arena for regional and international conflicts," noting that "the Syrian people have paid the highest price in blood, displacement, and economic and social collapse."

The platform added: "The dream was that overthrowing the authoritarian regime would begin a new phase restoring Syrians' rights and achieving their aspirations to build a homeland that respects its diversity and ensures freedom and justice for all its components. However, what we witness today is the reproduction of exclusion and marginalization dominance, especially against women and other components."

The platform emphasized that "the collective massacres with an ethnic dimension witnessed in the Syrian coast represent war crimes that cannot be ignored," describing these crimes as "a direct result of the current regime's policies, which allowed mercenary groups, led by Abu Amsha and Abu Hatem al-Shaqra, to commit the most heinous violations against unarmed civilians."

The platform stressed its rejection of women being "merely tools used to promote masculine political discourse," affirming it will not allow "our role in building the new Syria to be marginalized. Rather, we will continue defending our rights and struggling for a homeland that recognizes our values, honors our sacrifices, and guarantees our full role in shaping its future."

The campaign launched under the slogan "Syrian Women's Solidarity is Essential to Stop Massacres Against Women in the Coast" includes various activities: collecting donations to support affected women, gathering signatures to convey women's voices to relevant international bodies, and sending messages to international institutions demanding an end to violations.

The campaign also includes organizing protests and women's marches, a theatrical performance depicting women's suffering in the coastal region, a poetry evening highlighting civilian suffering, and a dialogue forum for women in northeastern Syria to discuss their position on the massacres and the interim constitutional declaration.

The platform concluded its statement by calling on all Syrian women to stand in solidarity with women in the Syrian coastal region and join the campaign to unify efforts toward building a Syria based on justice, equality, and human rights.

This initiative represents an important step toward enhancing communication and cooperation between different Syrian regions and reflects the growing role of women's movements in advancing comprehensive Syrian national dialogue and demanding a political system that guarantees the rights of all components.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.