On Wednesday 31st January, 2024, 14:00-15:30, the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) hosted a Live Briefing to launch the newly released ICCT Press book "Female Jihadis Facing Justice: Comparing Approaches in Europe".
Women made up around 20 percent of the individuals who left Europe to join the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS). Furthermore, over the past few years, a number of terrorist plots in Europe involved women. As a result, the perception of these women has evolved significantly since 2015. Initially only seen as victims, there is now a greater attention to their roles within a terrorist organisation, as well as to the threat they may pose in prison and afterwards.
This webinar presented findings from the ICCT book "Female Jihadis Facing Justice: Comparing Approaches in Europe". The book compiled and analysed a unique dataset on female VEOs, comprising 283 criminal cases from Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, in addition to conducting over 60 semi-structured interviews with relevant practitioners and policy-makers. Speakers will provide insights into the main findings made in the four different country contexts, provide a cross-cutting analysis, and discuss ways forward to enhance a gender-sensitive management of female VEOs throughout the criminal justice system.
The book contains four country-chapters and a cross-cutting analysis, aimed to inform practitioners and policy-makers involved in the prosecution, prison management, rehabilitation, and reintegration of returning female returnees and VEOs, highlighting existing approaches as well as needs and gaps, and formulates recommendations for a more evidence-based and rule-of-law compliant approach. This project was funded by the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counter-Terrorism (NCTV).
