Within the framework of the ongoing project to strengthen the legal regime against terrorism in Iraq, the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch (UNODC/TPB) organized a national workshop on the "Recruitment of women by extremist groups including terrorist groups", from 6-8 September 2016 in Hurghada, Egypt.
The three-day workshop was the first of its kind to address the topic of recruitment of women by extremist groups. The event brought together 20 representatives from key Iraqi counter-terrorism institutions, including policy makers, judiciary, and law enforcement officers, in addition to experts and judges from the Middle East and North Africa region and international experts from the United States of America and Europe. The workshop examined the phenomenon of female recruitment at large, the myriad of complex factors that have led to its growth, and the legal framework governing it. In addition, the theme of international cooperation in matters of combating foreign terrorist fighters, including the recruitment of women for terrorist purposes, and the role of women in countering violent extremism in light of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and the Secretary General's Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism were also thoroughly examined.
The Iraqi experience and challenges that Iraqi law enforcement officers, judges and the judiciary face in dealing with cases pertaining to this phenomenon were presented extensively, alongside national experiences from neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia. This exchange of experiences was paramount in drawing comparisons and, as a result, establishing an understanding of the common challenges in the region and potential areas for strengthened regional cooperation. Preventive strategies on countering the recruitment of women by extremist groups were also proposed, with a focus on criminalization, investigation, prosecution, trial procedures and detention
The workshop was part of the plan of action between the Government of Iraq and UNODC/TPB, and wouldn't have materialized without the support of the Government of Japan. Both the donor and the beneficiary expressed their full support of the technical assistance provided by UNODC/TPB, reiterating their commitment to continued cooperation.
|
|
