General Women, Peace and Security

 Moreover, it is imperative to undertake efforts to foster an honest, open intercivilization and interreligious dialogue that involves and reaches not only leaders and Governments, but also the average civilian, including young people and women.

In the current global climate of unspeakable brutality committed by these terrorist outfits, let us not forget that it was the Taliban who stoned women to death; it was the Taliban who closed girls’ schools, thereby denying millions of girls of their right to education; it was the Taliban who prevented women from pursuing a livelihood; and it was they who introduced suicide attacks on civilians and destroyed towns and villages in Afghanistan.

Fourthly, it will be crucial to give due consideration to the impact of terrorist and violent extremist ideologies on women in affected communities. We must revisit the traditional approaches, in which women are seen as victims of terrorism and violent extremism, and further explore their potential roles as agents of prevention, resilience and change at the community level — and even as perpetrators.