Women and Girls in Violent Extremism as Perpetrators, Survivors and Peacebuilders

On 26-27 April, The PRIO Centre for Gender, Peace and Security, together with the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) at the University of Oslo, are organising a Global Solutions Exchange (GSX) workshop on "Women and Girls in Violent Extremism as Perpetrators, Survivors and Peacebuilders: Responding to the Gendered Dimensions of Disengagement, Rehabilitation and Reintegration" in Oslo.

Building on ongoing conversations and events of the past year, this high-level workshop will examine responses to the return, rehabilitation and reintegration of perpetrators and supporters of violent extremism from a gendered perspective. Workshop participants will include key policymakers, researchers, practitioners, psychologists, journalist, victims, and former extremists to facilitate a comprehensive discussion exploring the role of the state, civil society, and other important sectors such as the media, education, and economic development.

The workshop will highlight the experience and innovations of women civil society actors in addressing the gendered dynamics and impacts of violent extremism and terrorism—from security profiling to sexual and gender based violence (SGBV)— and will focus specifically on practical recommendations for dealing with female perpetrators and "returnees".

This event is part of a broader research initiative the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are conducting on the rehabilitation and reintegration of women who have joined violent extremist movements. Through this study ICAN and UNDP aim to strength the knowledge base on the fate of female returnees and inform a new generation of policy and programming interventions at the local, regional and global levels.

Please note that participation is by invitation only.