Preventing conflict and fundamentalism through women’s empowerment

This research project, commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), will examine women’s perspectives as family members, as teachers and as members of civil society and community organisations in three community sites in Indonesia that have experiences with fundamentalist ideologies and political violence.

Importantly, while the study will be located in particular contexts in Indonesia – the generalisable (both structural and cultural) aspects of these contexts can be applied across the wider South East and South Asian regions.

This project will generate important new findings on the gender dynamics that affect the rise of extremism, as well as on women’s roles in conflict prevention and countering intolerance that will have crucial relevance for Australia’s security and development policies and regional engagement in South-East Asia.

As well as publishing top quality international journal articles and offering direct policy relevance here in Australia, this project will include policy capacity building activities for women’s grassroots groups in Indonesia.

This research will further raise the profile of the Australian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and help to implement the government’s international commitments under the Plan to promote the participation of women in peace and security; the protection of women’s human rights in conflict-affected settings; and women’s roles in the prevention of conflict and violence.

Chief Investigators Professor Jacqui True, Dr. Swati Parashar, Dr Sarah Boyd, and Professor Jude McCulloch

Funder Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

Other Partners The Gender Agency, Melbourne

Date of Award 2016