Mothers for Change!

The Mothers for Change! applied research project takes an innovative, horizontal approach to studying the process of deradicalization by taking full advantage of women`s role in the family and in society. Women are strategically positioned at the center of the family, where they are the first to recognize resignation and anger in their children. They build an ideal early-warning system when their sons, daughters, or husbands travel down the wrong path. Just as terrorist organizations are able to exploit latent activist energies in youth, the project seeks to identify and unlock mothers` directive capabilities at the heart of the family. This research project poses two key questions: how do mothers perceive their role in the processes of both the prevention of radicalization as well as deradicalization, and what tools do they need to expand their ability to intervene if they feel their children or other family members are moving toward extremist activities? Mothers in five target areas - Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Northern Ireland - will be asked what influence they believe they wield in promoting a peaceable society. This innovative study thus gives women agency in the extremist paradigm, a sphere from which they are normally excluded or regarded as passive, external actors. This three-year project operates on two tiers. Tier One will be devoted to on-the-ground research and analysis, to gather cutting-edge data on the self-perceived role of women in terror and ways in which to reduce the fundamentalist threat. During the Second Tier, we will use the findings to develop training programs for newly composed women`s/mothers` groups, to empower them to identify and respond to their needs and subsequently exert greater influence within the family, within politics, and within society at large. Mothers for Change! has several expected results: to develop a theory of factors that contribute to the radicalization of youth, to gather new data on the role of mothers in the process of de-radicalization and prevention, to help mothers to realize their potential and power within this process, to create mothers` groups to promote de- radicalization, and to train trainers of future groups. Stability and security are the key social and political issues or our era. Mothers are central to transmitting state- wide preventative measures to the individual level. The inclusion of women will help to create a new vision, to hear new voices, and to open new avenues of action.

For decades, global approaches to preventing terrorism were primarily focused on intelligence, law enforcement, military operations and diplomacy but with limited sustainable success. Now security experts are looking to social interventions for effective alternatives. The Mothers for Change! study examined the potential of mothers to protect their youth from radicalization and recruitment a completely new angle in counter-terrorism intervention.The idea taps into a mothers innate motivation to protect her children and are positioned at the heart of the family, where they are the first to recognize underlying feelings of powerlessness and anger in their children that can leave them vulnerable to the influence of violent extremist ideologies. With the right support, mothers hold enormous potential for recognizing and reacting to early warning signs of radicalization in youth and preventing their childrens interaction with dangerous individuals, radical media and groups. The results of this unparalleled Mothers for Change! survey are positively striking. The 1,023 mothers from five countries Palestine, Pakistan, Israel, Nigeria, and Northern Ireland are very aware of the precarious, vengeful environment their children grow up in. Mothers have strong views on the negative influences from media, political and religious groups. They place little trust in local authorities for the protection of their children: from mosque to police and councils: an alarming security deficit. Mothers also reject common justifications that radicalization is closely connected with poverty, an absent father, and the call of religion. The data speaks a clear language and a strong and solid segment of mothers believe they do have a preventative role to play on the home front. Moreover they urgently request practical opportunities and skills to respond to the risk: a majority of mothers want to talk to likeminded mothers, to learn about the early warning signs and parenting skills, they need to boost their self-confidence to speak up and act. Importantly mothers highlight the need for the right support for their children at risk during adolescence, taking their childrens grievances seriously, getting to know who their childrens friends are, and offering alternatives to violent ideologies. This is a wake-up call for security policy makers.The study proves that mothers want to face the challenges of radicalization of their young sons. This is an unexplored and unrecognized source of counter-terrorism intervention; with mothers as a group of so far invisible players, becoming security allies, safeguarding their families and strengthening community cohesion. With proper training and supporting of mothers through community organizations they can find new ways to connect and listen to their children, offer them progressive alternatives and speak out against violent extremism.