Women’s critical roles in counterterrorism efforts are often overlooked, particularly their responsibilities as the backbone of the family due to traditional gendered divisions of labor.[i] The United Nations has developed various policies to address this gap, and individual countries, including Indonesia, have adopted these frameworks through National Action Plans.

What’s at Stake?

Terrorism and violent extremism (VE), particularly by groups affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL), remain significant threats in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. The Indonesian government has recognized these challenges and has developed counterterrorism (CT) strategies that leverage the country's deep understanding of its cultural traditions and Islam.[ii] Over the years, ISIS has evolved, with increasing numbers of women participating in its operations.

Without recognizing that women actively contribute to ISIS's violent activities - just as men do - CT strategies will remain deficient, ineffective, and weakened. Gender stereotypes and patriarchal views within both terrorist organizations and the CT framework undermine the effectiveness of global and national efforts to combat extremism.

This policy brief highlights key findings from an evaluation of Indonesia’s National Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism that Leads to Terrorism (NAP P/CVE).[iii] It aims to inform policymakers of the critical importance of incorporating women into all aspects of CT and security initiatives.

Research Approach

The research included a detailed analysis of both academic and policy-oriented literature relevant to the integration of gender-sensitive approaches in CT strategies. Key sources included government reports, academic journal articles, and international frameworks on countering violent extremism.

Key Findings

The findings of this study indicate that the gendered culture pervasive in terrorist organizations is reflected in CT practices and in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) policies.

The National Action Plans Stem from the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2242

The United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1325 and 2242 urge actors to increase the participation of women in peace and security efforts. UNSCR 1325 includes four pillars – participation, protection, prevention, and relief and recovery. This was a necessary effort to acknowledge the ever-changing roles of women in society. Meanwhile, in countries like Indonesia, where women’s engagement in political violence, VE, and terrorism is not new, strategies developed to address these issues are only recently including a gendered lens.[iv]

The Gendered Dimensions of Counterterrorism Policies

The gender roles within terrorist groups, particularly in the context of the Islamic State, has had a direct impact on CT policies and strategies. Within Islamic State groups, men are primarily seen as the combatants and the leaders, masculinity is promoted and pushes a strict interpretation of the Qur’an.[v] Women, on the other hand, have traditionally occupied less visible roles within society, categorized into three main categories - behind-the-scenes, recruiters, and militants.[vi]

These gender binaries, which separate men as active fighters and women as passive supporters, are reflected in CT and P/CVE work, both in the past and currently.[vii] Women’s roles in VE must be acknowledged as multifaceted - ranging from supporters of violence to active combatants, from joining groups for ideological reasons to wanting to participate in the violence.

Indonesia’s National Action Plans

In 2018, following the East Java bombings, the Indonesian government introduced Law 5/2018 on Counterterrorism, which laid the foundation for two key National Action Plans (NAPs) - the NAP on P/CVE and the updated version of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS).[viii] Indonesia, along with several other Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have made efforts to harmonize the WPS agenda with the NAP on P/CVE, in an effort to strengthen the policies and strategies created.[ix] As seen through the ASEAN Plan of Action to Prevent and Counter the Rise of Radicalization and Violent Extremism 2019-2025, this plan works to look at the gender roles and needs of women in the prevention of VE.[x]

The NAP on P/CVE has three pillars - prevention, law enforcement, and international partnership and cooperation.[xi] It also takes big steps in integrating gender considerations and recognizes the importance of a soft approach by actively involving non-traditional security actors, such as civil society organizations (CSOs) and women-led organizations. While these initiatives represent significant progress, there are still key limitations. These CT and P/CVE policies still rely on outdated gender stereotypes often treating women and children as a homogenous group.[xii] This results in policies that lack the nuance needed to effectively address gendered dimensions of radicalization and extremism.  

Gender Roles Within the Security Sector

Indonesia’s security sector reform, initiated in the early 2000s, sought to address the country’s long history of terrorism, with the Indonesian Intelligence Community responsible for countering terrorist threats. However, the participating agencies are military-oriented and promote patriarchal values and masculinity, which further marginalizes women’s roles.[xiii] 

Moreover, PVE efforts in Indonesia, which have gained traction since 2018, have begun to recognize women’s roles in countering radicalization. However, gendered distinctions between CT (typically seen as a "masculine" domain) and PVE (often associated with "feminine" responsibilities) persist, hindering the development of more comprehensive and inclusive strategies.[xiv]

A Significant Lack of Funding Faced by Civil Society Organizations

One of the most significant barriers to the implementation of gender-sensitive CT strategies in Indonesia, exacerbated by the patriarchal culture described above, is the lack of funding for CSOs.[xv] CSOs are often key players in the development of strategies and may have a stronger connection with the community. Despite this, they face significant bureaucratic obstacles and inadequate financial support. 

Policy Insights

To improve the effectiveness of Indonesia’s CT and P/CVE policies, the following recommendations should be considered:

Gender Mainstreaming in National Policies

It is essential that gender roles be thoroughly studied and integrated into the creation of CT policies.

Women’s positions in the home are often considered frontline – as they have the ability to detect and influence extremist thinking and behaviour. As the UN’s Global Counterterrorism Strategy framework suggests, CT measures that focus on human rights and gender are more likely to be effective. 

The inclusion of women within civil society is also necessary, as having women in positions where other women, children, and even men can disclose issues that concern them increases the likelihood for the signs of radicalization to be noticed. Aman Indonesia, a civil society organization, has begun training women on the deradicalization of young boys and men, along with pushing for women to join the police force.[xvi] This organization has seen that when women are a part of peace negotiations, violent conflict is 24 percent more likely to end, and it has also been found that when a gender sensitive perspective is included operations are more effective.[xvii]

Gender Sensitivity Training

While recently there has been more awareness surrounding women in terrorist groups, this needs to be reflected in CT and PVE agencies and groups. There should be gender sensitivity training for these agencies or groups that engage with female militants or family members of militants. For example, the Densus 88, an Indonesian National Police counterterrorism squad, should have specialized training to better understand and engage with female militants.[xviii] There also needs to be further effort put into the deradicalization of women as violent actors.[xix]

More Government Support 

To enable the implementation of gender sensitive CT and P/CVE strategies, CSOs must receive adequate funding and support. By removing bureaucratic barriers, further collaboration and the increasing of financial resources the overall effectiveness of Indonesia’s CT efforts will strengthen. There must also be monitoring and evaluation systems in place following the implementation of any NAP, but particularly the NAP on P/CVE.[xx] 

Final Thoughts

Counterterrorism and countering violent extremism policies lack the expectations and understanding that women can be combatants in terrorist groups. However, by incorporating gender mainstreaming into these policies and strategies they are more likely to be effective.