n the ongoing struggle against violent extremism in the Philippines, particularly within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the integration of women into strategies aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) is crucial. Engaging with women across diverse sectors reveals their significant influence as catalysts for positive change in BARMM.
Since the emergence of violent extremist activities in the country, and more specifically the recent bombing in December 2023 inside MSU in Marawi City, women have emerged as key actors at the grassroots level and play a vital role in countering violent extremism. Their roles as mothers, educators, mediators, and peacebuilders place them at the forefront of identifying early signs of radicalization within their communities, including the increasing prominence of Women of the Eastern Caliphate. Recognizing and promoting their participation in policymaking at all levels is essential for effectively preventing violent extremism by both men and women. While the traditional focus is on male involvement in violent extremism, recently, there has been a rise in the involvement of the Women of the Eastern Caliphate. These female figures highlight the significant roles women play in extremist networks such as recruiters, facilitators of finance and logistics, or acting as conduits for Jihadist’s funds to the Philippines and Southeast Asia—handling both receipts and distribution of money. Despite the rising number of women in violent extremism, their crucial role in policy transformation remains firm. As key community members, they hold families together, protecting and supporting them during times of increasing violence.
Drawing from experience and background working within conflict–affected areas —particularly during a fellowship at the Salzburg Global Seminar as the project lead of the Kababaihan Kapit–bisig para sa Kapayapaan sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (K–BARMM) supported by The Nippon Foundation—listening and dialogue sessions and in–depth interviews were conducted with diverse groups of Muslim women such as Maranao, Maguindanao, Sama, and Tausog from the Provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi–Tawi in April and May of 2022. These women were representatives from various sectors such as the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission, educational institutions, civil society organizations, the internally displaced persons in Patikul, and the temporary shelters in Marawi City. These sessions provided platforms for Muslim women to articulate their perspectives on peace and extremism and identify avenues for meaningful participation of women. These insights validated the need to invest more in women in the P/CVE efforts in BARMM and were presented in 2022 to several organizations in the country and during the project briefing sponsored by the Austrian Embassy in Manila in June 2023.
To achieve this goal, these conversations revealed the need for the following policy changes:
Knowledge–Sharing and Inclusive Policy Formulation: Encourage the active participation of women in policy–making processes related to P/CVE at local, regional, and national levels. Ensure that policies are gender–sensitive and culturally appropriate to effectively address the unique challenges faced by women in BARMM.
Building Capacity and Empowerment: Invest in capacity–building programs, providing them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to participate in P/CVE efforts actively. This includes training programs on conflict resolution, mediation, community–based dialogue facilitation for rido settlements, and awareness–raising on the dangers of extremism.
Assistance to Grassroots Initiatives: Provide financial and technical support to grassroots initiatives led by women such as community dialogue sessions, education programs, and women–led peacebuilding projects tailored to the specific needs of different communities.
Recognition and Promotion of Women’s Leadership: Promote and support women's leadership in P/CVE efforts, including appointing women to leadership positions within government agencies, civil society organizations, and community–based organizations. Encourage the recognition and amplification of women's voices and contributions to P/CVE initiatives.
Maximizing Collaboration and Networking: Facilitate networking opportunities and collaboration among multiple stakeholders involved in P/CVE efforts. Foster partnerships to leverage resources, expertise, general intelligence sharing, and best practices in addressing violent extremism in BARMM.
Mental Health Support and Psychosocial Assistance: Recognize and address the psychosocial needs of women affected by violent extremism, including those who have experienced trauma and displacement. Provide access to counseling, mental health services, wellness and resilience training and retreats, and support networks to help women cope and rebuild their lives.
Social Cohesion and Gender Equality: Promote social cohesion and gender equality as key pillars of P/CVE efforts. Address underlying factors such as gender–based violence, discrimination, and marginalization that contribute to being vulnerable to extremism. Foster inclusive and cohesive communities where women are valued as equal partners in peacebuilding and development.
P/CVE entail context–based, gender, cultural, and conflict–sensitive interventions tailored to help women safely promote awareness about the impact of extremism in their communities and how women can be upstanders. By implementing these policy recommendations, actors and representatives within civil society, private sectors, educational institutions, media, religious and faith–based organizations, and law enforcement can effectively harness the potential of women as catalysts for peace and progress—contributing to more cohesive and resilient communities in BARMM.
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Investing in women to prevent and counter violent extremism in BARMM
Government building in Cotabato City, part of the BARMM region. Photo by Patrickroque01, retrieved from Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0
April 17, 2024
Women currently aren’t integrated into strategies aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism in the Philippines. Yet engagement with somen across the region suggests that women can be powerful catalysts for preventing extremism, writes Jamila–Aisha P. Sanguila.
I
n the ongoing struggle against violent extremism in the Philippines, particularly within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the integration of women into strategies aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) is crucial. Engaging with women across diverse sectors reveals their significant influence as catalysts for positive change in BARMM.
Since the emergence of violent extremist activities in the country, and more specifically the recent bombing in December 2023 inside MSU in Marawi City, women have emerged as key actors at the grassroots level and play a vital role in countering violent extremism. Their roles as mothers, educators, mediators, and peacebuilders place them at the forefront of identifying early signs of radicalization within their communities, including the increasing prominence of Women of the Eastern Caliphate. Recognizing and promoting their participation in policymaking at all levels is essential for effectively preventing violent extremism by both men and women. While the traditional focus is on male involvement in violent extremism, recently, there has been a rise in the involvement of the Women of the Eastern Caliphate. These female figures highlight the significant roles women play in extremist networks such as recruiters, facilitators of finance and logistics, or acting as conduits for Jihadist’s funds to the Philippines and Southeast Asia—handling both receipts and distribution of money. Despite the rising number of women in violent extremism, their crucial role in policy transformation remains firm. As key community members, they hold families together, protecting and supporting them during times of increasing violence.
Drawing from experience and background working within conflict–affected areas —particularly during a fellowship at the Salzburg Global Seminar as the project lead of the Kababaihan Kapit–bisig para sa Kapayapaan sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (K–BARMM) supported by The Nippon Foundation—listening and dialogue sessions and in–depth interviews were conducted with diverse groups of Muslim women such as Maranao, Maguindanao, Sama, and Tausog from the Provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi–Tawi in April and May of 2022. These women were representatives from various sectors such as the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission, educational institutions, civil society organizations, the internally displaced persons in Patikul, and the temporary shelters in Marawi City. These sessions provided platforms for Muslim women to articulate their perspectives on peace and extremism and identify avenues for meaningful participation of women. These insights validated the need to invest more in women in the P/CVE efforts in BARMM and were presented in 2022 to several organizations in the country and during the project briefing sponsored by the Austrian Embassy in Manila in June 2023.
To achieve this goal, these conversations revealed the need for the following policy changes:
Knowledge–Sharing and Inclusive Policy Formulation: Encourage the active participation of women in policy–making processes related to P/CVE at local, regional, and national levels. Ensure that policies are gender–sensitive and culturally appropriate to effectively address the unique challenges faced by women in BARMM.
Building Capacity and Empowerment: Invest in capacity–building programs, providing them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to participate in P/CVE efforts actively. This includes training programs on conflict resolution, mediation, community–based dialogue facilitation for rido settlements, and awareness–raising on the dangers of extremism.
Assistance to Grassroots Initiatives: Provide financial and technical support to grassroots initiatives led by women such as community dialogue sessions, education programs, and women–led peacebuilding projects tailored to the specific needs of different communities.
Recognition and Promotion of Women’s Leadership: Promote and support women's leadership in P/CVE efforts, including appointing women to leadership positions within government agencies, civil society organizations, and community–based organizations. Encourage the recognition and amplification of women's voices and contributions to P/CVE initiatives.
Maximizing Collaboration and Networking: Facilitate networking opportunities and collaboration among multiple stakeholders involved in P/CVE efforts. Foster partnerships to leverage resources, expertise, general intelligence sharing, and best practices in addressing violent extremism in BARMM.
Mental Health Support and Psychosocial Assistance: Recognize and address the psychosocial needs of women affected by violent extremism, including those who have experienced trauma and displacement. Provide access to counseling, mental health services, wellness and resilience training and retreats, and support networks to help women cope and rebuild their lives.
Social Cohesion and Gender Equality: Promote social cohesion and gender equality as key pillars of P/CVE efforts. Address underlying factors such as gender–based violence, discrimination, and marginalization that contribute to being vulnerable to extremism. Foster inclusive and cohesive communities where women are valued as equal partners in peacebuilding and development.
P/CVE entail context–based, gender, cultural, and conflict–sensitive interventions tailored to help women safely promote awareness about the impact of extremism in their communities and how women can be upstanders. By implementing these policy recommendations, actors and representatives within civil society, private sectors, educational institutions, media, religious and faith–based organizations, and law enforcement can effectively harness the potential of women as catalysts for peace and progress—contributing to more cohesive and resilient communities in BARMM.
