It has been suggested that the United States pay close attention to women when attempting to counteract terrorism. This paper outlines important links between economic development, violence, women’s activism, and peace-building efforts. Economic instability, combined with patriarchal views of women’s roles, breeds conditions that lead to violence against women undermining their capacity to build peaceful societies. In reaction, women sometimes resort to violence. This article examines women as victims of militarism and violence, women as terrorists and supporters of militarism, and women as peacemakers. In developing women’s rights as a tool for building global peace and security the following recommendations are presented: (1) U.S. international policy should oppose violence against women and regimes that condone it; (2) women should be included as equal partners in implementing political and economic development; (3) women’s peace movements should be encouraged and targeted for financial aid under U.S. foreign policies; and (4) U.S. foreign policy and international organizations should place a higher priority on programs encouraging economic and political development, especially in the most authoritarian and impoverished countries. References