In Southeast Asia, Islamist radicalization is mainly rooted in ethno-nationalist grounds and
presents an enduring threat to security and safety, as well as socio-economic, political and societal
development Indonesia and Malaysia are most affected by Islamic radicalization and recruitment
of radical Islamists and will therefore serve as practical examples in this research. To a large
extent, this is based mainly on historical and political developments. In the fight against
radicalization, the Malaysian government chooses to approach the challenges mainly with hard
measures on the security level. This strict monitoring makes it challenging for civil society to
actively engage in the efforts. The combination of soft and hard measures in Indonesia and the
involvement of civil society functions as exemplary case study to other Southeast Asian countries.
The importance of a gendered perspective in policies and strategies aimed at preventing
radicalization and violent extremism, especially through increased involvement of women, is still
not sufficiently considered in Southeast Asia. There is a great potential for female engagement in
the fight against radical or violent extremist behavior. Society continues to be organized around
patriarchal structures; yet, women play a key role within their families when it comes to shaping
norms and traditions and it was found that gender equality decreases domestic terrorism.