Maen al-Safadi participated early in the
demonstrations of pro-Arab spring revolutions staged in front of the embassies
of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya in Syria, which were faced with strong repression
by the regime. Then he participated in the protests that were staged in demand
of freedom and the fall of the regime in 2011, in addition to his participation
in the relief work and the support of people who were displaced from other
areas to Jaramana.

Maen had to leave Syria in 2014, after his wife
got detained in 2013, as she was trying to get a clearance from the Migration
and Passports Department, because she was heading to attend a conference in
Geneva. She found that there was an arrest warrant issued in her name and her
husband’s name. Maen stayed in Jaramana for some time, but he was moving very
carefully to avoid getting arrested by one of the checkpoints, because he was
wanted by all security agencies. When he was about to turn himself in to one of
the security branches after being summoned to it, his wife was released in a
prisoner exchange deal between the Free Syrian Army and the regime. When she
was released, she told Maen about her bitter experience in detention and that
he must leave Syria immediately. Indeed, he was smuggled to Lebanon, then after
a while his wife and children followed him. The family spent about one year in
Lebanon, then they moved to Germany where their political asylum application was
approved.

Maen joined the Communist Labor Party in 1980s,
when he finished the high school. He started to participate in its student
conferences at Damascus University. Since he was a member of the leftist
opposition movement in Syria, he was under constant harassment by the security
agencies. After finishing the military service, Maen preferred to focus on his
professional career and he didn’t continue studying. He worked in trade, then
he joined the Communist Labor Party again, after being re-established in 2005.

Maen says that the repression practiced by
Hafez al-Assad and his regime in the 1980s-90s against the Syrian people led to
what he calls ‘the political desertification’ in Syria. After the eruption f
the revolution, the biggest challenge that faced the political work was the
internationalization of the Syrian cause and removing the decision from the
hands of Syrians to create a wide opposition front under a national democratic
umbrella. In terms of challenges facing women in politics in specific, Maen
considers the severe masculinity all over the world at all times has always put
women in a second degree after men, whether in religious or political
positions. Hence, the work in politics was marginal. But in the Syrian context,
women presence in political parties and the parliament was nominal, and those
political parties and bodies didn’t try to build women capacities to assume the
poisitons they deserve to have. This is evident in the little representation of
women in political active bodies. When they are present, they are always
struggling to prove themselves, although they are no different than men, in
terms of the academic education, culture and leadership capabilities in all
areas. That’s why everyone must contribute to supporting, training and
educating women politically to be able to practice politics which is a write
for her, just like men.

“The positive unique advantage of SWPM is that
it has no taboos and only thinks about women who constitute half of the community,
away from the religious and social constraints.”

Maen says he joined SWPM because he believes
that partnership with women will have a positive impact in all aspects, through
learning from the experiences of women struggle and the ideas they provide,
which enriches his political and intellectual knowledge, as well as his
personal political experience. This should help men and women together to build
a sound Syrian political experience. The positive advantage that SWPM has, Maen
adds, is that it has no taboos and only thinks about women who constitute half
of the community, away from the religious and social constraints.

Maen considers the increase in the number of
applications to join SWPM a very good and positive indicator which will have
its echoes in the future, through having women in decision making positions.

Maen thinks that some of the challenges that
need to continuously work on, to realize the goals and principles of the
revolution in his point of view include how to revive the Syrian identity and
build the Syrian individual after all of the divisions that affected community
in the past years, in addition to finding a way to choose non-fanatic currents
that see Syria in the eyes of all of its people, rather than seeing it by a
narrow vision.

“Struggle, because political struggle is needed
and establishing your rights is needed, whether in constitutions or even in
communities, because you are half of the community and all forms of
discrimination should be eliminated between the components of one community.”

Maen says that his work in the public affairs
has always been a passion rather than a job or a duty that he has to do. That’s
because he seeks to contribute to building a healthy society for the coming
generations. He dreams of a unified and democratic Syria, whose citizens are
equal in rights and obligations, Syria free of repression with separation
between the state and religion; Syria for all as it has always been through
history.

Maen Says to the women of Syria: “I hope for
Syrian women to acquire their rights fully and to work hand in hand to build
the future of Syria. Do not waver any of your rights under any circumstances
and despite all challenges and constraints imposed upon you by the society. Struggle,
because political struggle is needed and establishing your rights is needed,
whether in constitutions or even in communities, because you are half of the
community and all forms of discrimination should be eliminated between the
components of one community.”