For the first time in the country's history, Syrians are preparing to publicly mark Human Rights Day next week - a small but meaningful step that UN human rights officials say signals a "new chapter" in their engagement with the authorities, and a cautiously optimistic moment for millions seeking change.
Coinciding with the anniversary of the collapse of the former regime, "things are improving," Mohammad Al Nsour, Chief of the Middle East and North Africa Section at OHCHR told UN News.
"Every time we go to Damascus, we can see the change."
OHCHR - blocked from operating inside Syria for many years - now has a team permanently deployed in Damascus. For Mr. Al Nsour, this marks a significant turning point after a long period of monitoring human rights conditions remotely from Beirut.
"The former government denied access to OHCHR," he recalled, speaking from Geneva. "We tried many times," but now, "it is a great advantage to be on the ground", he added.
Signs of progress
Syria continues to face a number of pressing priorities: the need to rebuild a war-damaged country, addressing the many remaining grievances, and achieving justice for past and present violations.
The senior official noted that insecurity also remains an alarming concern - from the northeast, to Sweida - to the mass killings earlier this year in coastal areas, including by members of the government's security forces.
Yet, he insisted that the overall direction is "very constructive and positive."
"There is a political will from the government to improve," he said, emphasising daily engagement between OHCHR and the authorities. The government has been receiving technical assistance from UN officials aimed at reforming legislation, strengthening human rights in law enforcement institutions, and improving public administration.
These steps, he said, show a commitment to a rights-based future.
He stressed that one of the major advantages of having an office inside the country is that is functions "as an advisor to the authorities."
"We monitor, report, and use advocacy to alert the authorities of violations in order to prevent them. Our purpose and main objective is not to shame and blame any government, rather to prevent violations."
