The newly-elected Syrian parliament is set to gather for the first time in Damascus.

Elections were held earlier this month as part of President Bashar al-Assad's response to more than a year of violence and calls for political reform.

The new 250-member body, including 30 women, is the first in which candidates not linked to Assad's Baath Party could run for office.
 
Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports.