Innovative approaches such as an animated TV show with a female superhero who promotes messages of peace are needed to stem the growing threat of violent extremism in the Asia-Pacific, speakers observed at an important regional forum in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Participants at the forum, “Comedy and Comics: Fighting terrorism one laugh at a time,” shared experiences on using new forms of media to creatively engage audiences with messages of peace and tolerance.
UN Women Asia and the Pacific and the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate convened the forum with support from the Government of Japan, according to a message UNB received here from Bangkok on Tuesday.
The event was part of a series of workshops on September 25-29 focusing on successful community-based approaches in Southeast Asia and South Asia to counter terrorist narratives and incitement both online and offline.
Aaron Haroon talked about how he created Burka Avenger, Pakistan’s first-ever animated superhero TV series.
The show has won numerous international awards including a Peabody and was nominated for an Emmy.
The protagonist of the show is Jiya, an inspirational school teacher whose alter ego is the superhero Burka Avenger, who fights for justice, peace, and education for all.
The show has significantly boosted support for girls’ education, women’s empowerment, and tolerance in Afghanistan, and has recently been launched in Indonesia.
The Regional Director for UN Women Asia and the Pacific, Miwa Kato, spoke about the importance of female characters like the Burka Avenger to deliver messages that engage communities in building peace and countering extremist narratives.
Terrorist organizations often recruit young men and women with messages that promote gender stereotypes including violent notions of masculinity.
“Women are leaders in preventing violent extremism and countering the harmful narratives used by extremist organizations to recruit fighters to their cause,” Kato said.
