Muslim women have a big role to play in efforts to combat Islamic extremism and the exodus of foreign fighters, Indonesia's minister for women believes.
Like Australia, Indonesia is also grappling with the threat posed by radicalisation and misguided youth venturing off to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State fighters.
Estimates of Indonesians involved in the conflicts vary from 50 odd up to 300.
Women's Empowerment Minister Yohana Yambise said Indonesian authorities have been focused on stamping out radicalisation at grassroots village level where it was easy for people to fall prey due to poverty and high illiteracy levels.
"We encourage mothers and wives to tell men not to go," she told AAP in Jakarta.
Her warning comes as Australia hosts a two-day counter-terrorism summit in Sydney on Thursday.
Ministers from Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand are attending along with representatives from the US, Pakistan and Britain.
Indonesia is sending its ambassador to Australia rather than a minister.
* The reporter travelled to Indonesia as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs journalists visits program 2015
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