Remarks by Ms. Nihal Saad,
Director, The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
at the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Commemoration
of the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism
as and when Conducive to Terrorism
12 February 2024
Good day, Mauro and colleagues,
In the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, we recall Preventing violent extremism is a commitment and obligation under the principles and values enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments.
Both the General Assembly and the Security Council have repeatedly acknowledged that violent extremism has reached a level of threat and sophistication that requires concerted action beyond law enforcement, military or security measures to address development, good governance, human rights and humanitarian concerns.
Strengthening the rule of law, repealing discriminatory legislation and implementing policies and laws that combat discrimination, marginalization and exclusion in law and in practice must be an essential component of any response to the threat posed by violent extremism.
Since we are marking today the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when conducive to terrorism , it is useful to recall that since 2015 , the General Assembly has emphasized the need for united action on violent extremism:
On 21 and 22 April 2015 UNAOC led the effort in co convening the high-level thematic debate under the umbrella pf the General Assembly on the topic “Promoting tolerance and reconciliation: fostering peaceful, inclusive societies and countering violent extremism”. The thematic debate was convened by the President of the Assembly in conjunction with the Secretary-General and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
Identifying, understanding and addressing the root causes of violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism is key in prevention efforts. Therefore, the first line of defense against violence and conflict should be an examination of the root causes, promotion of the rule of law and respect for human rights.
One, among many, of the underlying root causes is the distortion and misuse of religion, beliefs, political ideologies, ethnic and cultural differences. This is one of the drivers of violent extremism that is relevant to the mandate of UNAOC.
That’s why it is important to highlight the UN GA Res A/res/77/243 which reaffirmed that terrorism and violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.
And it must be grounded in strategies that reflect marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Where do we go from here?
The New Agenda for Peace puts a new emphasis on prevention. It presents a view of prevention that addresses violence in all its forms and at all levels.
It connects the dots between investing in development, building strong governance structures and justice systems that people can trust, and creating sustainable peace.
And it must be grounded in strategies that reflect marginalized and vulnerable communities.
While security governance policies are essential and indispensable, at the same time securitized counter-terrorism responses do not foster durable peace and stability, and actually could further fuel grievances.
I would like to highlight few recommendations that were also included in numerous UN frameworks and policies and many of them are being integrated in the action points by several counter-terrorism compact entities.
Promote grass-roots efforts to advance the values of tolerance, pluralism and understanding
Involve hard-to-reach young women and men, such as those from underrepresented groups, in efforts to prevent violent extremism, as laid out in the Guiding Principles on Young People’s Participation in Peacebuilding;
Invite relevant private actors, to support the prevention of violent extremism initiatives and generate creative ideas that contribute to peace-building and overall prevention efforts.
There are several viable soft power tools that can be used to prevent violent extremism and promote diversity and inclusiveness such as through the arts and sports. Thousands of young talents are using these tools to fight violent extremism and provide a counter narrative to their manipulative extremist ideologies on line and they deserve our support.
Develop media training and industry codes of conduct which foster tolerance and respect.
Encourage youth exchange programmes within and among Member States, which could be further developed into global community service and global youth programmes to enhance cross-cultural understanding, promote learning of new skills and support development initiatives;
Encourage relevant stakeholders such as religious leader, faith actors, private actors, including communications and social media companies, to support the prevention of violent extremism initiatives and generate creative ideas to help the international community effectively address hate speech and racist rhetoric.
I dare to say that at UNAOC, we can check all the above boxes.
Both Zulaika Nafuka from Uganda and Maimoun Berrissoun from Germany, two UNAOC beneficiaries will tell their stories later in the program.
Nonetheless, our contributions are like a drop in the ocean.
This applies to pretty much other efforts by several UN entities.
A holistic approach is imperative rather than a siloed one drawing from the 8th review of the GCTS which underscores the imperative for coordinated, inclusive, transparent, and human rights-based approaches to prevent and combat terrorism.
I look forward to hearing the perspectives of all the beneficiaries who are joining us today.
I thank you.