The Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT), in its fifth annual workshop on Gender in Terrorism and Counter-terrorism (CT), emphasizes the need to integrate gender perspectives into CT policies and operations. The workshop discusses three key themes: the role of masculinities in terrorism, the gender aspect of technology and terrorism in the online space, and the nexus among climate change, gender, and terrorism. While discussions on gender perspectives often focus on women, the report underscores the importance of addressing men and masculinities in understanding terrorism. It highlights how terrorist organizations exploit masculine norms for recruitment and cohesion. The digital space, a critical avenue for extremists, is noted to be highly gendered, with concerns about its impact on young boys, especially through hyper-masculine gaming platforms. Additionally, the report explores the underexplored connection between climate change and terrorism, emphasizing its contextual and gendered impacts. COE-DAT aims to raise awareness and facilitate cooperation in integrating gender perspectives for more effective counter-terrorism efforts.
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