Strengthening the Role of Women in the Security Forces

Amman hosted an activity entitled ‘vetting foreign female terrorist fighters, the role of female police officers in the fight against terrorism’. The training was organised by the European project CT-JUST, which addresses the challenges posed by returnees, especially female returnees accompanied by minors from combat zones.

For four days, anti-terrorist investigations, experiences and challenges were dealt with in detail, objectively and rigorously, from a professional police perspective focused from the perspective of the experience of policewomen, highlighting pioneering contributions and conciliatory solutions to the growing phenomenon of terrorism and especially of returnees from combat zones.

The main topics addressed were: women as agents of the law, the need for equality in the police ranks, respect and inclusion of gender equality, the need for an effective presence of women in the field of counter-terrorism and the importance of breaking glass ceilings; on the other hand, counter-terrorism investigations were dealt with from a practical police and security perspective.

In addition, emphasis was placed on the importance of new modus operandi and the cases detected in Europe and in the MENA regions, of female terrorists and the importance of counter-terrorism investigations themselves. The new trends detected in all the MENA regions and in Europe were analysed, analysing in detail the counter-terrorism investigations, their results, the lessons learned and the challenges they pose for the security forces. Special reference is made to women FTFs (CTE), as well as the evolution of their new modus operandi.

This activity has left latent the change of profile from female victim to female executor, where the role of faithful wife accompanying her husband to the combat zone and the father of her children is eclipsed by the role of executor of frontline terrorist activities, transformed into a new figure, resurgent and recruiter with great skills in social networks and quick executor of terrorist activities, as well as mother and indoctrinator of future martyrs and Jihadists.

On the other hand, the event focused on the increasingly important role of female police officers and their leadership in security. Recognising that women bring unique perspectives and skills that are often underutilised in law enforcement, the event sought to tap into that potential and strengthen their impact on national and international security. Beyond enhancing technical skills, the activity has also promoted leadership qualities among policewomen, fostering their capabilities in counter-terrorism and counter-terrorism investigations from a variety of angles to strengthen the security of their nations.