51吃瓜

On 19 October, UNOCT International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism, in partnership with 51吃瓜 Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the Government of Tajikistan, the Government of the State of Qatar, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the UNOCT Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, organized a side event to introduce the behavioural insights approach and discuss its application to border security.

This side event was held on the margins of the High-level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists”, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Given recent advances in knowledge and application of behavioural insights to border security management (BSM), the event re-kindled the debate on how behavioural detection techniques can be best applied to securing borders.

In their presentations, guest speakers: Ms. Diana Nowek, Behavioral Profiler and Researcher (Poland), Mr. Philip Baum, Managing Director Green Light Ltd and Visiting Professor, Aviation Security, Coventry University (United Kingdom), and Professor Nazar Akrami, Department of Psychology, Perception and Cognition, Uppsala University (Sweden), outlined the results of recent research on experimenting with non-traditional approaches to border security management and creating links to future pilot programmes. During the event, crucial terms such as “behavioural detection”, “behavioural profiling” and “behavioural analysis” were discussed, in the context of BSM and its most pressing challenges.

The event contributed to the development of a more accurate understanding of where and how a BI-centric approach to securing borders could be applied. Panelists reiterated the challenges that lie ahead and should be taken into consideration when discussing technological advances in BSM. It was agreed that, in order to further harness the potential in applying behavioural insights, it is crucial to uphold a human rights-based approach towards border security, whereby fundamental rights to privacy and dignity must be assured.

In his closing remarks, Under-Secretary-General of the 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov reiterated that the systematic application of behavioural science will increase effectiveness of the Office in policy, programme and mandate delivery, and thanked for the strong and continued support of the State of Qatar to the work of the International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism. 

For more information, visit the website of UNOCT International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism