Policy Brief

Strengthening Community Resilience against Violence and Extremism: The Roles of Women in South Asia

Author : Naureen Chowdhury Fink and Rafia Bhulai
Date : November 2013

Unlike traditional counterterrorism measures, which focus largely on law enforcement and military responses, countering violent extremism (CVE) programs span a broad cross-section of policy domains and has increased the range of actors involved to include those in development, conflict prevention and mitigation, education, culture, and diplomacy. Underscoring the importance of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, this brief explores the increasing roles for women in addressing conflict, violence, and extremism in South Asia.

This policy brief stems from discussions at a September 2013 workshop entitled “Strengthening Community Resilience Against Violent Extremism in South Asia: What Role for Women and Civil Society?” cohosted by CGCC and the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) and held at the National University of Singapore. The workshop provided a platform for regional experts and practitioners from a range of professional and national backgrounds to explore the gender dimension of the drivers of violence and extremism in the region and the lessons from experiences in addressing them.

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