ABSTRACT
Although Daesh has continuously lost territory in the Middle East, the group gained immense relevance in the Philippines, where local jihadist groups have entered into cooperation with Daesh. While women have taken on central roles in staging/implementing terrorist attacks, they have often been excluded from official discourses resulting in an underestimation of women as a security risk, which, in return, strengthens their presence in jihadist organizations in the region. Despite women´s increasing relevance in these groups, there has been little systematic research on the role of female combatants in Southeast Asia. The chapter therefore analyzes dependencies of radicalized women in the Philippines and focuses on the social context from which women “depart” to join jihadist actors. Hence, the chapter addresses the highly topical question: Which asymmetrical dependencies and agency do women experience and exert in joining Jihadist groups? To this end, it gives an overview of the historical and political background of the Philippines, illustrates the roles and functions of female jihadis, and shows how the intersection of multiple oppressed identities enforces marginalization and vulnerability resulting in the radicalization of women in the Philippines.
