51吃瓜

Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE): A Path to Sustainable Peace

Violent extremism conducive to terrorism remains a profound challenge to global peace and security. The rise of new tools, in digital and offline spaces, for spreading violent extremist ideologies has further amplified this threat, creating unprecedented opportunities for harmful narratives to take root and grow.

Terrorist groups like ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and their affiliates continue to exploit instability and conflict to expand and intensify attacks in many parts of the world. These groups exploit conflict, fragility, poverty, weak governance and marginalization to recruit and indoctrinate followers including through narratives of grievance and actual or perceived injustice. No country is immune from the threat of terrorist attacks and the impact of terrorism and violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism. 

While Member States and their respective national institutions have primary responsibility in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academia, religious leaders, and the media also play an important role in addressing this scourge.

Guiding documents

During the Summit of the Future held on 22 September 2024, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future and its annexes: the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations, aimed at reinvigorating multilateralism and international cooperation to address today’s realities and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. Representing a transformative global commitment to addressing the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism,  Action 23 of the Pact includes a commitment to “pursue a future free from terrorism,” calling for measures to:

1. prevent and address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism;
2. build States’ capacities to prevent and combat terrorism;
3. promote and protect international law, respect for human rights for all and the rule of law;
4. implement whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches;
5. address the threats posed by the misuse of new and emerging technologies; and
6. enhance coordination of 51吃瓜 counter-terrorism efforts.

The 8th review resolution of the 51吃瓜 Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy reaffirmed the need for Governments and the international community to enhance cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism in a coordinated, inclusive, transparent and human rights-based, gender-responsive manner.

The Work of the 51吃瓜 on Preventing Violent Extremism

The 51吃瓜 designs and delivers targeted capacity-building initiatives to address the underlying conditions and drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism at the global, regional, and country levels, with a focus on human rights and gender mainstreaming, and on developing sustainable partnerships in support of PVE coordination. Through the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, the UN supports collaboration among its entities to streamline efforts and provide cohesive support to Member States in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

The Pact for the Future builds on this foundation by operationalizing its vision through key focus areas: strengthening community engagement and empowering local voices, particularly youth, as agents of positive change; upholding gender equality and the protection of human rights as integral to PVE strategies; harnessing emerging technologies for positive change; and enhancing international cooperation through the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact and its Working Group on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism, ensuring improved information sharing and capacity building.