Hopes and misguided expectations: How policy documents frame gender in efforts at preventing terrorism and violent extremism

In recent years, increased attention has been given to the role of women in preventing and countering violent extremism (CVE). This potential role of women has been included in the United Nations Security Council’s follow-up resolutions to Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, as well as in the CVE policies of other intergovernmental organizations and governments. This policy development has been met with both support and criticism. In this article, we critically analyse CVE policies to better understand how the intersection between gender and violent extremism is conceptualized in them. We analyse how gendered identities and roles are framed in policy documents on preventing and countering violent extremism. Through the analyses, we discuss how CVE policy documents define the spheres of gendered influence in efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism.