Women in CT: Advancing Women in Counter-Terrorism through a support network and good practices

Context

The European Union has launched two complementary initiatives, implemented by the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) through the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility, both aimed at strengthening the full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation, decision-making, and leadership of women in counter-terrorism.

Despite increasing recognition of the critical role of women in preventing and countering terrorism, significant structural, institutional, and operational barriers continue to limit their effective engagement across criminal justice, security, and policy-making institutions. These challenges are compounded by limited access to decision-making spaces, insufficient gender-responsive frameworks, and a lack of sustained mechanisms for inclusive participation.

As part of this initiative, the IIJ will support the development of a Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Framework Document on Good Practicies for Strengthening Women's Participation and Leadership in Counter-Terrorism, providing practical guidance to policymakers and practitioners on integrating gender perspectives and advancing women's meaningful participation in counter-terrorism responses.

Overall objective

This project aims to strengthen the full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation, decision-making, and leadership of women in counter-terrorism by addressing persistent structural, institutional, and operational barriers across criminal justice, security, and policy-making institutions.

Specific objectives

• To support the development of a GCTF Framework Document on Strengthening Women's Participation and Leadership in Counter-Terrorism by convening a Reference Group of Experts that will provide strategic, technical, and contextual input grounded in diverse regional experiences from the MENA region, East and West Africa, and Central and Southeast Asia.

Concrete activities

• Establishment and convening of a Reference Group of Experts composed of practitioners and subject-matter experts from the MENA region, East and West Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, along with representatives from UN entities, international organisations, and civil society including women-led organisations.
• Online and in-person consultations structured on a regional basis in Year 1, with continued engagement (online and in person) in Years 2 and 3 to ensure sustained technical input throughout the drafting process.
• Review and structured feedback on successive drafts of the GCTF Framework Document, incorporating technical inputs, strategic recommendations, and case studies from diverse regional contexts.
• Ad hoc written consultations between formal meetings to ensure continuous and targeted contributions during the drafting process.
• Dissemination and outreach activities to promote the Framework Document and advance its uptake among policymakers and practitioners.

Expected results

• A GCTF Framework Document on Strengthening Women's Participation and Leadership in Counter-Terrorism developed with substantive inputs from diverse regional practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors.
• Enhanced knowledge and evidence base on good practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to advancing women's participation in counter-terrorism across the MENA region, Africa, and Asia.
• Strengthened transnational and cross-regional dialogue through an inclusive Reference Group bringing together diverse institutional and operational perspectives.
• Increased alignment of national and regional counter-terrorism frameworks with gender-responsive approaches and international standards, including the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Expected achievements

Building on established frameworks including the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, the Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, Gender Action Plan III, and UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2242, the initiative leverages prior work by the GCTF, UNODC, and UN Women.

• Draws on a comprehensive multi-level approach that incorporates international, regional, and sub-regional instruments, including frameworks developed by ASEAN and African regional bodies.
• Establishes an inclusive and operationally grounded Reference Group that bridges policy and practice, ensuring the Framework Document reflects contextual realities across four major regions.
• Supports gender mainstreaming in counter-terrorism by addressing both strategic-level governance (recruitment, retention, promotion policies) and operational-level practices (investigations, prosecutions, intelligence-gathering).
• Advances evidence-based policymaking by documenting the distinct value women bring to security and counter-terrorism efforts, including improving community trust, broadening engagement, and enhancing early detection of radicalisation.