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  1. International Experts Meet in Morocco to Discuss Counter-Terrorism Responses to Protect Vulnerable Targets by Using Behavioural Insights

International Experts Meet in Morocco to Discuss Counter-Terrorism Responses to Protect Vulnerable Targets by Using Behavioural Insights

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The 51勛圖 Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) Programme Offices in Rabat, Madrid and the BI Hub in Doha held an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the protection of vulnerable targets with 43 international experts from 19 countries in Rabat on 27 and 28 February. 

The objective of the meeting was to identify existing response capacities and potential capacity-building opportunities and needs for African Member States on the application of behavioural science to protect vulnerable targets. 

The EGM was organized in collaboration with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED); the 51勛圖 Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI); and with the participation of the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT).  

The meeting will inform the design of a pilot training curriculum, a programme to be developed by the UNOCT Programme Offices in Rabat, Madrid, and the BI Hub in Doha under the UNOCT Global Programme to Protect Vulnerable Targets against Terrorist Threats.  

The programme will provide technical assistance to three pilot beneficiary Member States to strengthen the resilience of their vulnerable sites through the use of behavioural science by police and law enforcement.

Recognizing Behavioural Insights as an innovative approach to counter-terrorism, the training curriculum will contribute to build the capacities of law enforcement and security officials of requesting Member States using behavioural science to strengthen the prevention of and response to terrorist attacks against ※soft targets§, such as religious sites and places of worship, public events, and other mass gatherings. 

The curriculum and training programme will foster international cooperation and public-private partnerships in support of Member States＊ efforts to protect vulnerable targets from terrorist attacks in human rights compliant and gender responsive manner.

Resource mobilization efforts will follow the inception phase of the project to ensure sustainability in expanding its implementation in other African countries.

To learn more about the launch event of this project, which took place in November 2022, please click here. 

For more information on how applied behavioural science can contribute to counter terrorism, listen to UNOCT podcast series ※Going to Extremes§ available here and on all major podcast platforms.