O sister, where art thou? Assessing the limits of gender mainstreaming in preventing and countering violent extremism in Mali

ABSTRACT

Where and how are women present in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) in Mali? The article contributes to the scholarship on gender in P/CVE policies by shedding light on the misalignments between societal dynamics and the discursive framework adopted in the security strategies implemented. It investigates how the European Union as a security-oriented actor, (re)produces practices of exclusion rather than inclusion. Relying on a large set of semi-structured interviews gathered during extensive fieldwork, it aims at understanding the conceptualisation – and the gaps therein – of gender mainstreaming by asking: how does the EU translate gender mainstreaming and WPS into practice in the context of P/CVE practice? And, in turn, how do local actors perceive these efforts? The article finds that the implementation of gender mainstreaming has two main sets of limitations which overall reinforce inequalities: first, it homogenises women’s identities and fails at meaningfully reaching rural areas; second, while including some gender considerations about restrictions of women’s agency, it falls short of achieving its overarching aim, which should be truly empowering women by subverting patriarchal structures and systems of inequal power-sharing. In doing so, this study intends to contribute to feminist security studies literature by exploring centre-periphery gaps and differences in the framing of women’s empowerment within P/CVE.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• countering violent extremism
• Mali
• European Union

Acknowledgments

The author would like to deeply thank the two very special editors of the special issue, Ann-Kathrin Rothermel and Laura J. Shepherd for their unwavering support, guidance, and patience throughout the whole process. The author would also like to thank Annick T.R. Wibben, Sladjana Lazic and Elena Stavrevska for comments on a previous version of the article, and the anonymous reviewers for their invaluable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019. To date, Mali has adopted three WPS NAPs, in 2012, 2015, and 2019, to be implemented in the periods of 2012–2014, 2015–2017, and 2019–2023, respectively. In accordance with UNSCR 1325, the general aim of the NAPs is to increase the participation of women in peace and reconciliation processes and in post-conflict governance. The latest WPS NAP foresees four key priorities: participation of women in peacebuilding; prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV); protection of fundamental rights; and relief and recovery in and after conflict.

2. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

3. Interview, EU official 2, Bamako, November 2019.

4. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

5. Interview, EU official 3, Bamako, December 2019.

6. Interview, official civil society organisation 1, Bamako, November 2019.

7. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

8. Interview, official civil society organisation 2, Bamako, November 2019.

9. Interview, EU official 2, Bamako, November 2019.

10. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

11. Interview, EU official 3, Bamako, November 2019.

12. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

13. Interview, Local officer, NGO 6, Bamako, December 2019.

14. Interview, EU official 4, Bamako, December 2019.

15. Interview, EU official 4, Bamako, December 2019.

16. Interview, Female police officer, Bamako, December 2019.

17. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

18. Interview, Sociology University professor, Bamako, December 2019.

19. Interview, EU official 1, Bamako, November 2019.

20. Interview, Women’s rights association 3, Bamako, December 2019.

21. Interview, Local official, Women’s rights NGO 1, December 2019, Bamako.

22. Interview, Local officer, NGO 5, December 2019, Bamako.

23. Interview, Local officer, NGO 5, December 2019, Bamako.

24. Interview, Representative, Fulani association, Bamako, November 2019.

25. Interview, Local security expert 1, Bamako, December 2020.

26. Interview, Woman leader representative 2, Bamako, December 2019.

27. Interview, Representative, Association of traditional leaders 1, Bamako, December 2019.

28. Interview, University professor and security expert, Bamako, November 2019.

29. Interview, Representative, Association of traditional leaders 2, Bamako, December 2019.

30. Interview, Local officer, NGO 6, Bamako, December 2019.

31. Interview, Women’s rights association 2, Bamako, November 2019.

32. Interview, Local officer, NGO 5, December 2019, Bamako.

33. Interview, Local security expert 3, Bamako, December 2019.

34. Interview, Local journalist and activist, Bamako, December 2019.

35. Interview, University professor 1, Bamako, December 2019.

36. Interview, Local officer, NGO 3, Bamako, November 2019.

37. Interview, EU official 2, Bamako, November 2019.

38. Interview, Local security expert 4, Bamako, December 2020.

39. Interview, Local security expert 4, Bamako, December 2020.

40. Interview, EU official 5, Bamako, December 2019.

41. Interview, Local association representative 1, Gao, December 2019.

42. Interview, Local association representative 1, Gao, December 2019.

43. Interview, Local association representative 2, Gao, December 2019.

44. Interview, Local association representative 3, Gao, December 2019.

45. Interview, EU official 5, Bamako, December 2019.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura Berlingozzi

Dr Laura Berlingozzi is a postdoctoral researcher at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science, European Politics and International Relations at the Sant’Anna School in 2021. Drawing on insights from feminist approaches and critical security studies, Laura’s research focuses on the gender dimension in the insurgencies and counterinsurgency practices in the Sahel. Her research has been published, amongst others, in Interdisciplinary Political Studies, POLIS and International Spectator.