"By referring to the results of a survey by the National Counter-Terrorism Agency in 2020, the index of potential for radicalism tends to be higher among women," finance coordinator of the BNPT, Syaiful Rachman, said at an event on ‘Community Involvement in Prevention of Terrorism’ here on Thursday.
Apart from women, the potential for radicalism also tends to be high among people who live in urban areas, the younger generation--both Generation Z and millennials--as well as those who actively use the Internet and social media, he added.
Therefore, those groups must be protected as they are quite vulnerable to being influenced by radicalism and they should become the main target of counter-radicalization efforts, he said.
"This means that these four entities must be watched out for and continue to be the main targets in carrying out counter-radicalization and increasing deterrence because they are quite vulnerable to exposure to radicalism," he added.
In that context, the BNPT finance coordinator said that women's vital role in the family, even the community, cannot be denied.
"Women have a strategic role in fortifying families and communities from all forms of spreading and inviting groups of radicalism and terrorism," he remarked.
Women, in their roles as wives, can become their husbands' partners in discussing various matters, including religious understanding, he said.
"With that role, women can be the initial filter or early detector of any oddities found in their respective families," he added at the event, which was attended by around 120 women from various organizations, professions, as well as students.
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Translator: Iskandar Zulkarnaen, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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