Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the 1995 World Conference on Women held in Beijing and the emergence of female terrorism in West Africa during the 21st century. It examines how the conference, which was intended to promote global gender equality and women's rights, unintentionally influenced the dynamics of female participation in extremist activities. This study provides insights into the motivations, strategies, and effects of female terrorism in West Africa by analysing historical events, regional context, and socio-political factors, casting light on the complex relationship between gender, empowerment, and violence. The gendered socialisation theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. Noting that the study is qualitative and non-experimental, a descriptive research design was chosen for this investigation. The qualitative method was used to generate data for this study, and the qualitative descriptive method was used to analyse the collected data. The study revealed a correlation between the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing and the rise of female terrorism in West African nations. The study recommended adequate public enlightenment, strengthened responsive counterterrorism strategies, enhanced women’s participation in counterterrorism efforts and genuine empowerment of women and girls through education and economic opportunities.