20. WHY SOME WOMEN RESORT TO TERRORISM?

Source: issafrica.org

According to definitions by Schmid and Jongman (2006), terrorism is​ a politically driven act of violence meant to create fear and send an ideologically driven message to a targeted audience. Today terrorism is seen as a central concern in global, regional, and local affairs. Women are playing a significant role in terrorist activities. For instance, according to statistics provided by Sjoberg and Gentry, almost 7% of all Palestinian suicide bombers and 1% of the attacks in Iraq in 2007 were carried by women. Another example can be cited of the “white widow’ or former British rapper Sally Jones, who joined ISIS and was killed on the Syrian-Iraqi border in a US drone strike. Many such women have voluntarily and involuntarily joined extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Boko Haram, and Al-Qaeda etc. Hence the participation of women in such radicalization processes cannot be ignored.

There are many reasons as to why women join these terrorist organizations. First, some women voluntary join terrorist acts because they believe in it. These include both political and personal motives. At other times, women are coerced to submit to their husbands or family members who are leaders of a particular organization. These women are brainwashed into carrying out deadly operations. Researchers have also emphasized on the role of patriarchal systems in encouraging women to take part in terrorist acts. Women join the cause in large number to escape their traditional roles, or simply because they want to pursue opportunities to experience leadership.

We see women who join these organization are generally those who are undergoing some kind of an ‘identity crisis’. Most of these recruits are underage girls who live on the streets and have no family. Besides, groups like ISIS create messages on social media to create rhetoric on the belief that western societies do not respect women, especially Hijab-wearing women. Becoming a ‘jihadi bride’ is a promise for a future where women will hold a ‘valued place of honor’1. Lack of woman rights and conflict conditions further creates the environment in which these female terrorists resort to suicide bombing.

There has also been a growing awareness of the important role women can play in countering violent extremism and terrorism. Women’s proactive role in counter-terrorism efforts can bring about positive changes. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of October 2000 recognized the important role women can play in enhancing international peace and security. UNSC resolutions on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) subsequently strengthened the protection of women2. Security Council resolution 2129 (2013) reaffirms the Council’s objective. Yet, women’s role and the way they relate to terrorism and counterterrorism remains limited. Their roles are limited to ‘preventers’ of terrorism, often ignoring the fact that women too can be ‘perpetrators’ of extremist violence.




References:


Erez. E. (2006). Gender, Palestinian Women, and Terrorism: Women's Liberation or Oppression?. Retrieved fromhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10576100701329550


Vienna, OSCE Secretariat. (2013, February). Women and Terrorist RadicalizationFinal Report. Retrieved from https://www.osce.org/secretariat/99919?download=true