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25 Apr 2022
Women’s Economic Empowerment for Resilient and Peaceful Community in Tamanjeka, Poso Regency
Project leader: Mr Muhammad Najib Azca
Level of education and university: Master, The Australian National University
Collaborating Organisations: Lembaga Penguatan Masyarakat Sipil (LPMS) Poso
Project Location: Sulawesi Tengah
Activity Type: Training, workshop or seminar
Sector: -
Project Rationale:
It is widely acknowledged that women's involvement in violent extremism has increased. In Indonesia, a total of 39 women have been convicted or are awaiting trial on terrorism charges since 2004 (IPAC 2020: 2). They take various strategic roles in the violent extremist groups, such as logistical arranger, narrative maker, financer, campaigner, courier, or even combatant. Studies on a wide range of factors have been carried out (Alison 2003; Jacques & Taylor 2009; Bjørgo 2009; Saltman and Smith 2015; Kimhi dan Even 2004; Bloom 2011; Nava 2018; Gielen 2018), and most imply that poverty or economic inequalities could drive women to become part of violent extremist acts. This is also confirmed by our previous research in Poso (Azca et al., 2019) that economic pragmatism is one of the push factors bringing women into violent extremism circles.
On the other hand, women can also play a vital role in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). As wives and mothers, women can recognise the early signs of radicalisation in their family members (Brown 2016; Walia 2013). In the frame of gender division of labour, women are expected to hold responsibility for children’s activities and wellbeing. This means they can potentially create a reflective dialogue and communication with their children in order to provide broader viewpoints and non-violent values. As community members, women can spread religious tolerance and promote counter-narratives.
However, gender inequalities in the family and community may hinder the full realisation of women’s roles and participation in P/CVE. Our research (Azca et al., 2019) shows that unequal gender relations among the violent extremist groups render women with little authority to take part in family decision-making. They were indoctrinated to keep ignorant of their husbands’ activities and affairs. At the state level, women also frequently hold a lack of recognition of potential contributions to effective security responses. Gender stereotypes of women as non-violent bring about the neglect of their crucial capacities and utilisation of their full potential within communities.
Experiencing bloody communal conflict that transformed into acts of terrorism by local jihadi groups, namely East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), Poso is an attractive site for growing extremist ideology in Indonesia. IPAC (2020) reported that the Poso cluster contributed 18% of the total number of women convicted on terrorism charges. This number includes the country’s first three female combatants who gained military training while hiding in the jungles of Gunung Biru.
Project Beneficiaries:
Direct beneficiaries of this program are 30 women that will be trained in building community-based micro-business. Participants will be divided into 3-4 groups, and each group has a turn to access a “seed fund” up to IDR 2 million.
Priority Development Area:
Stability
Link with Australian organisation:
University of Melbourne
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