Hopes and misguided expectations: How policy documents frame gender in efforts at preventing terrorism and violent extremism

The urgency of a gender-based approach to counter terrorism in Indonesia: a look into the European policies

“…Furthermore, Skjelsbaek, Hansen, and Lorentzen previously studied 46 policies from a variety of jurisdictions to discover how gender is framed within policies to prevent violent extremism and terrorism. The study revealed that gendered roles can be used as prevention models in families and communities (Skjelsbaek et al, 2021) as they often serve as early indicators of fundamentalism that may support violent extremism (True & Eddyono, 2017). As argued by Schlaffer and Kropiunigg (Schlaffer & Kropiunigg, 2015) and confirmed by our Interview, a woman's position is central within the family.…”

“…The lack of awareness of a gender-based approach to counter terrorism can be explained as a result of an accustomed perception of gender in policy thinking. As pointed out by Elshtain and Skjelsbaek et.al, women are typically seen as 'beautiful souls' who would not be capable of committing atrocious acts, and men as 'just warriors' (Skjelsbaek, Hansen, & Lorentzen, 2021). This perception is accustomed to the extent that it rules out the possibility of women willingly engaging in terrorism.…”

“…This perception is accustomed to the extent that it rules out the possibility of women willingly engaging in terrorism. In this sense, women who do engage in terrorism are seen as deviations from gendered norms or acting against their nature of being a woman (Skjelsbaek et al, 2021). Women are instead portrayed as being victims or the unwitting pawns of men (Schmidt, 2020).…”

“…This is because women seek to rectify grievance or to express their devout beliefs (Sawicki, 2016). Other studies suggest that women are motivated by ideology, the experience of being alienated, (Skjelsbaek et al, 2021) romance, peer influence, or seeking a sense of security (Gan, Neo, Chin, & Khader, 2019). Another study claims that women may be pulled into terrorism by ideas of femininity and their pursuit of empowerment that is caused by gender oppression.…”

Introduction: Rethinking Gender in Responses to Violent Extremism

“…As a result, poverty increases and deepens, and the population suffers. Evidence also suggests that attempts to include gender in policies and programmes on violent extremism typically reduce gender to women and girls, leading to tokenism that diminishes women's activism and agency (Huckerby 2020;Skjelsbaek et al 2020). It is further argued that this tokenism complicates the gendered aspects of the push and pull factors in violent extremism and leaves questions unexplored.…”