Strategic and Human Rights Perspectives to Gender Mainstreaming in Preventing/Counter-Violent Extremism Efforts in the Western Balkans

Abstract

This article explores the strategic and human rights perspectives on gender mainstreaming in preventing/countering violent extremist efforts (P/CVE) in the Western Balkans (WB). It begins with elaborating the strategic relevance of gender mainstreaming in the contested and fast-changing security environment where the threat from modern-day extremists that practice terrorism is a reality. Although NATO has already acknowledged the importance of gender mainstreaming the human rights perspectives of gender mainstreaming in general and in the P/CVE context have largely been neglected. The article analyzes human rights perspectives to gender mainstreaming in P/CVE from three aspects and provides a rationale for its relevance. First, the general human rights perspective to gender mainstreaming in P/CVE. Second, from a perspective of protecting human rights and providing fair treatment to those who commit violent extremist activities. Finally, from the perspective of human rights violation by committing or supporting violent extremist activities/agenda.