Syria mandates burkinis for women at public beaches: What to know

Syria’s Tourism Ministry has mandated that women must wear burkinis or modest swimwear at public beaches and pools, a move raising concerns over women’s rights under the new government. While men are required to wear shirts outside the water, the decree allows Western swimwear at private resorts, citing public decency and respect for cultural diversity as justifications. This marks the first formal dress code since Assad’s regime, prompting mixed reactions on social media, with some fearing stricter moral codes influenced by the government’s Islamist roots.