Kinda al-Shammat
Kinda al-Shammat | |
|---|---|
كندة الشماط | |
| Minister for Social and Labour Affairs | |
| In office 9 February 2013 – 20 August 2015 | |
| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Prime Minister | Wael Nader al-Halqi |
| Preceded by | Jassem Mohammad Zakaria |
| Succeeded by | Rima al-Qadiri |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1973 (age 51–52) Serghaya, Rif Dimashq, Syria |
| Political party | Ba'ath Party |
| Education | Damascus University |
Kinda al-Shammat (Arabic: كندة الشماط; born 1973) is a Syrian politician who served as Minister for Social and Labour Affairs from 2013 to 2015.
Early life and education
Kinda al-Shammat was born in 1973 in Serghaya, Rif Dimashq. She graduated from Damascus University in 2005 with a PhD in private law. After graduating, she worked as a professor of international law in Damascus University and also taught at Syrian Virtual University.[1][2] She also worked with various organizations, such as the Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs, the Women's Union Organization, and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, as a legal expert in regards to family issues and violence against women. Additionally, she has finished some studies in relation to children and women's issues, especially in wars and conflicts.[1]
Career
She was a member of the committee tasked with drafting the 2012 Syrian Constitution.[2]
She was appointed Minister for Social and Labour Affairs on 9 February 2013 by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, succeeding Jassem Mohammad Zakaria.[3][1] She retained her position upon the establishment of the Second Wael al-Halqi government in August 2014.[4]
On 23 June 2014, she was sanctioned by the European Union for being a minister in the Assad regime.[5]
She was dismissed by Bashar al-Assad on 20 August 2015, and was succeeded by Rima al-Qadiri.[6][7]
Post-Assad
On 4 July 2025, al-Shammat and Rima al-Qadiri were arrested in Damascus on charges of being involved in the disappearance of hundreds of children.[8][9][10] The Syrian Interior Ministry's media office told Enab Baladi on 6 July that they were arrested based on preliminary findings and testimonies provided by the families of detainees and the disappeared, gathered jointly by the Ministries of Interior and Social Affairs.[11] Their arrests came as part of an official investigative committee established to investigate the disappearance of detained children in orphanages during the Assad regime.[11][12]
References
- ^ a b c "وزيرة الشّؤون الاجتماعيّة الدّكتورة كندة الشّماط" [Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Kinda Shamat]. Syrian e-Government Portal (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ a b "الرئيس السوري يصدر قراراً بتشكيل لجنة وطنية لـ"مشروع الدستور"" [The Syrian President issues a decision to form a national committee for the "draft constitution"]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "الأسد يجري تعديلا وزارياً لا يشمل الوزارات السيادية" [Assad carries out a cabinet reshuffle that excludes sovereign ministries]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). Agence France-Presse. 9 February 2013. Archived from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "الرئيس الأسد يصدر المرسوم رقم 273 القاضي بتشكيل الحكومة الجديدة" [President al-Assad issues Decree No. 273 forming the new government]. Syrian Arab News Agency (in Arabic). 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "Council Implementing Decision 2014/387/CFSP of 23 June 2014 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria". EUR-Lex. Official Journal of the European Union. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "الأسد يُعفي وزيرة الشؤون الاجتماعية من منصبها" [Assad dismisses Minister of Social Affairs]. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ Fadel, Ahed (20 August 2015). "بعد وصفها بوزيرة داعش..الأسد يعفي كندة الشماط من مهامها" [After being described as ISIS's minister, Assad dismisses Kinda Shamat from her duties]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "Two former Syrian ministers arrested in connection with the investigation into the "children of detainees". Zaman al-Wasl. 4 July 2025. Archived from the original on 4 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Sheiko, Kamal (5 July 2025). "سوريا: قضية «الأطفال المفقودين» تتفاعل... وتوقيف وزيرتين سابقتين" [Syria: The issue of "missing children" escalates... and two former ministers are arrested.]. Asharq Al-Awsat. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "Syria authorities trying to find identities of hundreds of children of disappeared parents, as ex-ministers arrested". The New Arab. 9 July 2025. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ a b ""Interior Ministry" Confirms Arrest of Two Former Ministers to Enab Baladi". Enab Baladi. 7 July 2025. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "الوزيرتان السابقتان "كندة الشماط وريما القادري" قيد التوقيف: ملف "أطفال المعتقلين" يتفاعل" [Former ministers Kinda Shamat and Rima Al-Qadiri are under arrest: The "children of detainees" file is evolving]. Shaam News Network (in Arabic). 5 July 2025. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.