The Critical Role of Women in Extremist Movements By Ramsha Kalhoro

According to a report from “Pakistan Today,” Bangulzai claimed in a press conference held in Quetta on Wednesday that engagement of women can be observed as an essential part of their strategy to encourage youth participation in extremist movements.

Due to the lack of educational rights, equal employment opportunities, family status, and social standing as contributing factors, women often find themselves susceptible to be manipulated by extremists to carry out violent incidents without questioning them. The role of women in extremist organizations has evolved since the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, women began taking on more prominent frontline roles, extending beyond logistical and recruitment tasks traditionally considered “soft.” In recent years, female suicide bombers executing suicide attacks have garnered public and counter-terrorism experts’ attention, signaling that women may potentially become key participants in future extremist attacks. In addition, this type of activity also bad impact on  their families and society.

The reasons women join such movements involve various causal factors, particularly in the process of becoming suicide bombers. Psychological, economic, political, religious, and sociological factors all drive women towards extremism. Extremist groups rely on women for strategic advantages, recruiting them as propagators and martyrs while benefiting from their conquest. However, policymakers in the United States often overlook the multifaceted roles women play in violent extremism—including perpetrators, mitigators, and victims—with limited efforts to involve them in counter-radicalization initiatives.

Many extremist groups propagate an ideology that classifies women as second-class citizens, marginalizing them for strategic and economic gains. Some organizations use sexual violence to threaten populations, displace civilians from strategic areas, strengthen the unity of combatants, and even fundraise through illicit trafficking. The suppression of women’s rights enables extremists to control reproduction and fully utilize female labor. These patterns underscore the socio-political dimension that contribute to such practices in extremist ideologies.

Although women’s roles and status in extremist movements can be diverse, neglecting their potential role in counter-extremism activities makes the affected regions more insecure. Women possess the ability to detect early signs of radicalization, as extremists typically violate women’s rights first. The insights and information provided by women are crucial for maintaining peace. Due to their unique contacts and influence, women play an indispensable role as counter-terrorism messengers in schools, religious institutions, social environments, and local governments.