xtremism is a complex global phenomenon. It has impacted many Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines due to the presence of extremist groups. In recent years, violent extremism has persisted as one of the leading causes of conflict in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). BARMM is an autonomous region in the southern Philippines and has five provinces (including the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi), 116 Municipalities and 2,590 Barangays. These provinces are breeding grounds for extremist activities as recorded by Conflict Alert (2016-2018). According to a 2015 census in Muslim Mindanao, there are 3,445,248 Muslims recorded in the region, of which 49.7% are males and 50.3% are females.
Studies done in the Philippines by the International Alert, The Asia Foundation, UNDP and many others reveal that there are many factors that contributed to the growing extremism in the region such as gender discrimination, extreme poverty, weak governance, irregular migration, historical dynamics, the shadow economy (like the kidnap-for-ransom, drugs and gun proliferation), and the emergence of the different extremist groups such as the ISIS-affiliated Dawlah Islamiya Maute group (Lanao del Sur), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (Maguindanao), and the Abu Sayaff (Basilan and Sulu). These groups continuously recruit Muslim women (family members, relatives, friends, and colleagues) to carry out attacks, bombings, and extremist propaganda in the Philippines and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
The 2017 Marawi siege, the 2018 chain of suicide bombings in Surabaya, and the 2019 Jolo twin bombings have seen women alongside their male counterparts at the frontline. But the role of women in violent extremism extends beyond being branded as perpetrators. These women serve as recruiters, finance and logistics facilitators, and conduits between the Jihadists' funds to the Philippines and Southeast Asia (receiving and distributing money). However, women are essential actors at the grassroots level and play an important role in countering violent extremism. In most cases, women are the first to detect early signs of radicalization in the community - thus, women should be encouraged to be part of crafting policies at the national and international levels in the interest of preventing violent extremism.
In putting this article together, I relied on my experience and professional background as an educator and peacebuilding practitioner in Mindanao. I reviewed think tank reports and open-source documents, attended web conferences on preventing violent extremism and interviewed key military informants, survivors, and relatives of extremist group members. Recently, as the project lead of K-BARMM, I had the opportunity to engage with the Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausog, and Sama women during in-person consultation meetings.
Here are six important roles that women play in preventing violent extremism:
- Mothers as changemakers. Mothers are frequently monitoring the safety and movement of communities in order to protect their children, and they are often the first to detect early signs of radicalization. Mothers should be given more attention because their safety and security affect how they raise, mold, and influence their children. Mothers are key actors in bringing change to society.
- Women as providers and protectors. Violent extremism impacts both men and women differently. In times of conflict, women and girls are severely burdened by the sudden adjustment from homemaker to breadwinner. They become providers. In keeping the family members - as well as entire communities - safe from any further violence, they also take the role of protectors.
- Women as promoters of gender-specific interventions. Women need to be leaders in crafting gender-specific interventions for women and girls. The roles that women play can be empowered through such initiatives as the National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820, the Gender and Development, the Magna Carta of Women, and the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security 2020-2022. Looking at the gender dynamics as seen in the radical roles of women as perpetrators there is a need for gender inclusivity in the prevention of violent extremism.
- Women as mediators. In Southeast Asia, women have participated both in business and politics. In BARMM, particularly in the local setting, Muslim women serve as local mediators. They prove more effective in settling disputes such as rido or clan feuds and they are welcomed and respected by the different parties involved.
- Women as peacebuilders. Women play important roles in organizations, government, academe, and all levels of the peace processes in civil society. There is a greater need to refine the roles of women in peacebuilding and empower them to be agents of positive peace.
- Women as environmental stewards. Globally, climate change impacts millions of people, and violent extremism contributes to environmental damage. The five-month airstrike during the Marawi siege destroyed the city's physical, biological, and environmental components. To protect, conserve, and sustain our environment for the future generation, women need to be at the forefront of protecting biodiversity, conserving our natural resources, and promoting environmental-friendly practices such as combating pollution through reforestation, greening urban spaces and enforcing the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). These practices can go a long way.
Violent extremism will require context-specific, gender, and conflict-sensitive approaches. It will need a long-term process of building community cohesion and resilience. With this, it is essential to examine the roles women used to play in the past, roles they are still playing in the present, and roles they will be playing in the future so that we can maximize their capacities and capabilities in securing, sustaining, and keeping the Bangsamoro region safer for the next generation.
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Women Can Help Prevent Violent Extremism in the Philippines
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March 16, 2023
Violent religious extremism remains a leading cause of conflict in the Philippines. Women have an important role to play at a grass roots level in countering violent extremism, in part because women are so connected to their communities, writes Jamila-Aisha Sanguila.
E
xtremism is a complex global phenomenon. It has impacted many Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines due to the presence of extremist groups. In recent years, violent extremism has persisted as one of the leading causes of conflict in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). BARMM is an autonomous region in the southern Philippines and has five provinces (including the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi), 116 Municipalities and 2,590 Barangays. These provinces are breeding grounds for extremist activities as recorded by Conflict Alert (2016-2018). According to a 2015 census in Muslim Mindanao, there are 3,445,248 Muslims recorded in the region, of which 49.7% are males and 50.3% are females.
Studies done in the Philippines by the International Alert, The Asia Foundation, UNDP and many others reveal that there are many factors that contributed to the growing extremism in the region such as gender discrimination, extreme poverty, weak governance, irregular migration, historical dynamics, the shadow economy (like the kidnap-for-ransom, drugs and gun proliferation), and the emergence of the different extremist groups such as the ISIS-affiliated Dawlah Islamiya Maute group (Lanao del Sur), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (Maguindanao), and the Abu Sayaff (Basilan and Sulu). These groups continuously recruit Muslim women (family members, relatives, friends, and colleagues) to carry out attacks, bombings, and extremist propaganda in the Philippines and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
The 2017 Marawi siege, the 2018 chain of suicide bombings in Surabaya, and the 2019 Jolo twin bombings have seen women alongside their male counterparts at the frontline. But the role of women in violent extremism extends beyond being branded as perpetrators. These women serve as recruiters, finance and logistics facilitators, and conduits between the Jihadists' funds to the Philippines and Southeast Asia (receiving and distributing money). However, women are essential actors at the grassroots level and play an important role in countering violent extremism. In most cases, women are the first to detect early signs of radicalization in the community - thus, women should be encouraged to be part of crafting policies at the national and international levels in the interest of preventing violent extremism.
In putting this article together, I relied on my experience and professional background as an educator and peacebuilding practitioner in Mindanao. I reviewed think tank reports and open-source documents, attended web conferences on preventing violent extremism and interviewed key military informants, survivors, and relatives of extremist group members. Recently, as the project lead of K-BARMM, I had the opportunity to engage with the Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausog, and Sama women during in-person consultation meetings.
Here are six important roles that women play in preventing violent extremism:
- Mothers as changemakers. Mothers are frequently monitoring the safety and movement of communities in order to protect their children, and they are often the first to detect early signs of radicalization. Mothers should be given more attention because their safety and security affect how they raise, mold, and influence their children. Mothers are key actors in bringing change to society.
- Women as providers and protectors. Violent extremism impacts both men and women differently. In times of conflict, women and girls are severely burdened by the sudden adjustment from homemaker to breadwinner. They become providers. In keeping the family members - as well as entire communities - safe from any further violence, they also take the role of protectors.
- Women as promoters of gender-specific interventions. Women need to be leaders in crafting gender-specific interventions for women and girls. The roles that women play can be empowered through such initiatives as the National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820, the Gender and Development, the Magna Carta of Women, and the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security 2020-2022. Looking at the gender dynamics as seen in the radical roles of women as perpetrators there is a need for gender inclusivity in the prevention of violent extremism.
- Women as mediators. In Southeast Asia, women have participated both in business and politics. In BARMM, particularly in the local setting, Muslim women serve as local mediators. They prove more effective in settling disputes such as rido or clan feuds and they are welcomed and respected by the different parties involved.
- Women as peacebuilders. Women play important roles in organizations, government, academe, and all levels of the peace processes in civil society. There is a greater need to refine the roles of women in peacebuilding and empower them to be agents of positive peace.
- Women as environmental stewards. Globally, climate change impacts millions of people, and violent extremism contributes to environmental damage. The five-month airstrike during the Marawi siege destroyed the city's physical, biological, and environmental components. To protect, conserve, and sustain our environment for the future generation, women need to be at the forefront of protecting biodiversity, conserving our natural resources, and promoting environmental-friendly practices such as combating pollution through reforestation, greening urban spaces and enforcing the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). These practices can go a long way.
Violent extremism will require context-specific, gender, and conflict-sensitive approaches. It will need a long-term process of building community cohesion and resilience. With this, it is essential to examine the roles women used to play in the past, roles they are still playing in the present, and roles they will be playing in the future so that we can maximize their capacities and capabilities in securing, sustaining, and keeping the Bangsamoro region safer for the next generation.
