‘Women can play influential role in countering violent extremism’

AMMAN — Women can be an invaluable source of community information, and play a role in countering violent extremism in society, a recent study by the WANA Institute showed.

Titled “Women’s Role in Countering Violent Extremism”, the study analysed how women are affected by violent extremist organisations (VEOs) and what role they can play in preventing or countering violent extremism (P/CVE).

“An estimated 3,000 of the 20,000 foreign fighters who joined Daesh were women. While the focus has primarily been on Western cases, women from the West Asia — North Africa region were also drawn to the cause,” the statement read. 

Women, and mothers in particular, are uniquely placed to notice early stages of radicalisation in their children. However, partly as a result of strict gender roles, women often feel disempowered, uninformed, or scared to come forward with such information. 

Empowering women to speak more freely could help communities track radicalisation early on, the study indicated.

Propaganda 

targeting women

Women face similar socioeconomic frustrations as men, which makes them equally susceptible to radicalisation drivers. 

Daesh in particular has become expert in adapting its propaganda as necessary. Initially, the group confined women to roles in the private sphere as wives, mothers, teachers, domestic workers or sex slaves. In recent years, however, these roles have expanded significantly and women are increasingly used in militant contexts, the study said.

While some are pressured or forced, many women join VEOs by choice. 

Women and P/CVE

Looking into the question of whether gender equality and women’s empowerment can prevent radicalisation or aid in de-radicalisation and rehabilitation, the study found strong evidence that women’s participation in the security sector and as pillars of their local community, leads to greater effectiveness in violence reduction and conflict prevention.

Work in the WANA region has shown women to have in-depth insights into community dynamics, ideological patterns, and behavioural trends that differ from those available to men. 

Fieldwork has also indicated that women preachers are usually the first point of contact for women dealing with radical male relatives. 

Within families, mothers are often able to recognise early signs of radicalisation including anger, anxiety and withdrawal. Mothers of radicalised youth are also strategically placed to assist their children in navigating challenges. 

The research concluded that women are keen to exercise their role within CVE as they have a strong interest in preventing their children from becoming radicalised as well as in preventing any direct negative effects radicalisation can have on women and society as a whole.

As a result, WANA called for women to not only be carefully targeted by P/CVE policies, but to also be centrally involved in their design and implementation.