Women Leading Community Security: Mwanamke Imara Strengthens Multi-Sectoral Partnerships for Preventing Violent Extremism

Preventing violent extremism requires more than the efforts of security agencies alone. It demands a whole-of-society approach in which government institutions, educators, community leaders, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and citizens work together to identify risks early, strengthen community resilience, and safeguard vulnerable populations. At the heart of this approach is inclusive leadership that recognizes the critical role women play in advancing peace, security, and social cohesion.

It is against this backdrop that Youth and Women for Peace and Sustainable Development (YOWPSUD), through the Mwanamke Imara Programme, partnered with Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs in Kwale County to convene a series of Community Security Dialogues. Spearheaded by the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), the dialogues created a platform for communities and institutions to collectively examine emerging security challenges and strengthen coordinated approaches to Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).

Held in Tiwi, Kwale County, the dialogue brought together women serving in security and justice institutions, teachers from primary and secondary schools, local administrators, police officers, religious leaders, youth representatives, civil society organizations, community policing structures, and other community stakeholders. The diversity of participants reflected a shared understanding that sustainable peace and security can only be achieved through strong multi-sectoral partnerships and community ownership.

Throughout the discussions, participants reflected on the evolving nature of violent extremism in Kenya, particularly within the Coast region. Beyond traditional recruitment methods, communities are increasingly confronted with online radicalization through social media platforms, manipulation of vulnerable youth, criminal gang influence, misinformation and disinformation, substance abuse, peer pressure, and persistent cases of gender-based violence affecting children and young people. These interconnected challenges require responses that extend beyond law enforcement to include prevention, education, psychosocial support, and sustained community engagement.

Teachers emerged as one of the most critical stakeholders in the dialogue. As trusted mentors who interact with learners daily, they are often the first to notice behavioural changes, emotional distress, declining academic performance, absenteeism, social withdrawal, or other signs of vulnerability and exploitation. Their unique position within schools enables them to identify early warning indicators and intervene before young people are drawn into criminal gangs or violent extremist networks.

Participants emphasized that teachers should not shoulder this responsibility alone. Rather, they are essential actors within broader Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems that depend on close collaboration between schools, parents and caregivers, security agencies, child protection officers, health professionals, local administration, and community organizations. Through these partnerships, teachers are better equipped to understand emerging trends in violent extremism, recognize indicators of vulnerability, and activate appropriate referral pathways that connect at-risk learners with the support and protection they need.

The participation of Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs underscored the indispensable role of local administration in coordinating community security initiatives. As government representatives at the grassroots level, they are well positioned to convene diverse stakeholders, strengthen trust between communities and state institutions, facilitate information sharing, and ensure that security concerns are addressed through coordinated, inclusive, and community-centred approaches. Their leadership created an enabling environment for open dialogue, collective problem-solving, and stronger collaboration across sectors.

Central to the dialogue was the recognition that women serving in security and justice institutions have an increasingly influential leadership role in preventing violent extremism. Through the Mwanamke Imara Programme, women officers, justice actors, and community leaders are being equipped with the knowledge, confidence, leadership skills, and practical tools needed to facilitate community dialogue, strengthen referral mechanisms, foster collaboration across institutions, and influence local security decision-making.

By positioning women as leaders rather than merely participants, Mwanamke Imara is helping transform community approaches to security. Women leaders are creating safe spaces where diverse voices are heard, strengthening partnerships between formal institutions and community structures, promoting inclusive decision-making, and advancing preventive responses that reflect the realities and needs of local communities.

The Community Security Dialogue in Tiwi demonstrated that effective PCVE interventions are built on trust, partnerships, and shared responsibility. When women leaders, teachers, Chiefs, security agencies, civil society organizations, religious leaders, youth representatives, and community members work together, they strengthen local resilience against violent extremism while fostering peaceful coexistence, social cohesion, and community resilience.

As security threats continue to evolve, community responses must evolve alongside them.

Through continued investment in women's leadership and multi-sectoral collaboration, the Mwanamke Imara Programme is strengthening community-owned solutions that prioritize prevention, early intervention, and collective action. By working alongside the leadership of Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs across Kwale County, the programme is reinforcing a simple but powerful principle: community security is strongest when every stakeholder has a voice and when women are empowered to lead from the front.