Tunisia's Sousse resort tragedy and the attacks at the Bardo museum are a grim reminder that terrorists oppose our efforts to establish a stable and peaceful democracy. Like others through the region, we face exceptional threats against our nation but, as evident from the president's declaration of the state of emergency, Tunisians are determined not to give in. We will address our gaps in security infrastructure as well as economic challenges. However, one crucial element in this fight is still missing -- women's empowerment. As a group less likely to commit terrorist acts but disproportionately affected by terrorism, women must play a critical role in countering violent extremism. Women throughout the world help shape families and social environments; we offer a distinctive advantage in strengthening our cultural fabric, helping detect and deter the early signs of extremism and serving as a powerful force as peace builders and mediators. Recent work by international groups such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have highlighted the potential of women as "effective undertakers of initiatives and shapers of narratives to counter violent extremist and terrorist propaganda." Yet women are usually sidelined from counter-terrorism efforts, which tend to neglect the social, economic and political dynamics of the terrorist threat in favor of a purely militaristic approach. Tunisia is already transforming the way the world views Muslim women. Our women leaders are actively involved in the government, judiciary and civil society. In the 2014 elections, Tunisian women voters outnumbered men among newly registered voters, and 47 percent of parliamentary candidates were women. Women hold 31 percent of seats in our parliament, higher than in the legislative branches of the UK and the U.S. Women deputies of Ennahdha, the Muslim Democrat party to which I belong, played a significant role in developing what has been described as the most progressive constitution in the Arab world, which guarantees human rights, freedoms and equality for all Tunisians. Yet women in Tunisia, the Middle East and throughout the world continue to be marginalized from the national debate on security, which is still considered the domain of men. At this critical time, Tunisia needs all the resources available to tackle violent extremism and keep its democratic transition on track. An intelligent counter-terrorism strategy must have an inclusive approach to security that tackles the root causes of terrorism. Deterrence alone may achieve short-term success in curbing violent extremism in our region - that was the strategy adopted by most of our region's former dictators. But it was short-sighted and instead planted the seeds of further extremism. Without a truly democratic society that builds strong institutions and has active participation of the entire society, including women, security measures will be ineffective and counter-productive in the long run. Women's potential to communicate positive values and work with young people in their communities must be put to good use. The efforts of our grassroots organizations, many of which are driven by women, must be encouraged to serve as bridge builders among diverse populations and connectors of family and community. Economic development is indeed central to combating extremism; lack of opportunities has created a pool of frustration. But Tunisia's public sector is overburdened and unable to cope with extra demands. As a result, we are encouraging private entrepreneurship as a particular area of opportunity for growth. Skilled women graduates -- who today represent 60 percent of all university students and are graduating at higher rates than men -- can serve as engines for economic development. But we need to remove social and economic obstacles to their entrepreneurship. The domino effect of supporting women's entrepreneurship will help increase economic opportunities for both men and women across the country and sustain our progress and stability. The Arab awakenings created a space for women to become more vocal about their rights to freedom and dignity. The recent attacks have strengthened the resolve of Tunisian women to continue contributing to our progressive model of inclusivity, freedoms, equality and consensual democracy. But achieving real change demands unity, vision and continued social change in our attitudes. In Tunisia as well as in the region, it is time for women to have a bigger place at the table to discuss all policy issues that concern them, including security and economy. If we want to make a real lasting difference in our communities, women can no longer remain on the fringes of our societies -- we must be central to the solution.
Dr. Boutheina Ben Yaghlane Ben Slimane is Tunisia's State Secretary for Finance and founder of the NGO Tounissiet that seeks to empower female leaders. She also leads a UNDP-supported project, Women Against Political and Electoral Violence.