By Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Sept. 9, 2016) – The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is holding a Global Counter Terrorism Alumni Community of Interest (COI) Workshop titled "The Role of Women in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Sharing Global Best Practices and Experience," to be held Jan. 10 to 12, 2017.

There is widespread understanding that women have a vital role to play in addressing the security problems of the 21st Century - a concept formalized by UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000. 

In the counterterrorism field, there is a growing appreciation that women can contribute in a number of powerful ways to a nation’s CT strategy. 

This could include providing governments with partners who can build resilient families and communities, taking action to prevent radicalization, restricting the spread of violent extremist ideologies, and disrupting recruitment of family members into terrorist groups.  

While CT professionals increasingly acknowledge the important role of women in combatting terrorism and violent extremism, less well known and understood is precisely how countries can put this into practice. 

In other words, how do CT professionals go from wanting to engage this key sector of society, to actually working with them effectively?

Alumni speakers are sought to give a 20 to 30 minute presentation on the role of women in counterterrorism. 

To be considered, interested alumni should submit their application answering four questions: 

1. What, specifically, are you doing in your country to utilize women in CT or countering violent extremism programs? (For example, how have you employed the support of women in developing counter narratives, building resilience, de-radicalization, counter radicalization, community policing, etc.)
2. What challenges have you encountered?
3. What best practices have you identified that your fellow alumni could learn from?
4. What recommendations can you offer to improve CT professionals’ ability to make best use of the influence that women have within their families and communities? How can we get better at engaging this key, and still often overlooked, sector of society?

Your answers to these four should be 500 words or less.

Marshall Center Program on Terrorism and Security Studies faculty will evaluate all responses and will choose approximately eight presenters.

The Marshall Center will arrange and fund air travel, hotel accommodations, meals, and transportation to and from Munich International Airport.