Using Laws as Weapons

Sawsan Abou Zainedin is an architect and urban planner. Currently, she works in the Syria program at Internews Europe, ​which is aimed at alleviating the effects of conflict on the Syrian population by supporting access to accurate, practical, and locally produced information. Previously, she worked as a research associate at the Bartlett's Development Planning Unit, working in collaboration with the Habitat International Coalition on engaging civil society organizations in the regional process of Habitat-III, the UN Conference for Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. She also worked as an architect and urban designer in Syria and the United Arab Emirates for over five years. Diwan interviewed Abou Zainedin in mid-November to get her perspective on reconstruction in Syria and the new laws put in place by the regime that affect property rights, which will have an impact on the return of refugees.