The Syrian Legal Development Programme (SLDP)

The Syrian Legal Development Programme (SLDP) was established in 2013 as an NGO that operates inside and outside of Syria. Based in the United Kingdom, SLDP utilises its international legal expertise and contextual knowledge to address current and developing legal needs in Syria.

Through its team of researchers, lawyers, on-the-ground trainers and human rights’ advocates, SLDP’s mandate is to promote human rights and the rule of law through legal research, documentation, advocacy and building capacity to address violations of rights of Syrians under international law in an objective and specialized manner.

SLDP offers a unique combination of international legal expertise, field analysis and academic research which is combined with its political knowledge and strategic thinking.

In pursuit of its mandate, SLDP executes its mission through two niche units:

The Human Rights and Business Unit:

The unit’s mandate is to ensure that human rights are at the forefront of any business activity inside Syria. This is accomplished through four main focuses:

• Supporting international agencies operating in Syria in conducting human rights due diligence and making sure that their procurement processes are dismantling the war crime economy

• Monitoring sanctions on Syria and Syrian entities and informing sanctions bodies of entities violating existing sanctions or committing human rights violations in Syria that warrant them to be sanctioned

• Monitoring and documenting all business-related activities in Syria and briefing states and stakeholders of the business landscape in Syria

• Raising awareness of Syrian civil society organizations on their role in business and human rights as well as foreign businesses on their commitment toward not contributing to further human rights violations through their business activities

The International Law Support Unit:

The unit’s mandate is to equip Syrian civil society organizations, including victim groups, with self-sufficient capacity in International Law to conduct their effort and accomplish their mission. This is accomplished through four main focuses:

• Offering consultations and training, on a variety of international law topics

• Supporting the Syrian civil society organizations with strategy-based support

• Increasing international engagement of Syrian civil society organizations with states and international actors

• Increasing engagement of Syrian civil society organizations with various UN mechanisms such as IIIM and Human Rights Council through filing formal complaints and submitting reports