Gender and Countering Violent Extremism

A young woman holds the Somali flag. PHOTO / Tobin Jone

The program addresses the changing nature of violent extremist tactics and strategies, practical implications, and benefits of adopting a gender perspective to counter violent extremism. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that when the concept of security and the security providing groups are broad enough to include gender perspectives, communities are more secure. Boko Haram, for example, targets women and teenage boys for strategic reasons, not simply to inflict the maximum civilian harm. Expanding an institution’s view to include gender perspectives is challenging. It is imperative to approach the issue strategically and mindful of the organizational context.