Section outline
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Photo Source: UNESCO. ‘’Youth-Led Guide on Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Education.’’ 2017. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000260547.
According to the 2015 UN Action Plan to Prevent Violent Extremism, young people are invaluable partners in the struggle against violent extremism. Preventing and countering violent extremism is more effective, holistic, and sustainable aif it also includes the perspectives, participation, and leadership of youth. The roles of youth in violent extremism are similar to that of women in that they are many and varied, including those of survivors, supporters, perpetrators, family members of perpetrators, preventers, peacebuilders, civil society actors, policymakers, faith actors, and security actors. It is vital to engage youth in all of their diversity within P/CVE efforts to analyze their distinct barriers and needs.
Photo Source: Photo above is a Generations for Peace program focused on youth leading in countering violent extremism in Lebanon. Clark, Mark. “Youth and Violent Extremism in the MENA Region.” February 10, 2016. https://www.generationsforpeace.org/en/youth-and-violent-extremism-in-the-mena-region/.
1 in 4 young people live in settings affected by armed conflict or organized violence. The overwhelming majority of those who join violent extremist groups are youth, namely male youth, as prospects for youth violence are highly gendered. While the number of youths who join extremist efforts represent a small proportion of young people across the world, it fuels the stereotype of young people as a threat to security. It is time to stop thinking of youth as a problem to be solved and start thinking of youth as the problem solvers.
While youth can be victims and survivors of violence, as well as perpetrators, their leadership role as peacebuilders working in the areas of prevention, protection, or response, also offer unique expertise and perspectives in the field of P/CVE. Youth offer unique peer-to-peer level training, in that they are able to connect with other young people their age more effectively and efficiently than other community groups because they themselves understand struggles with adulthood, exclusion, disempowerment and alienation – all push and pull factors within violent extremism.
Photo Source: UNDP. ‘’Frontlines: Young People At the Forefront of Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism.’’ May 9, 2019. https://www.undp.org/publications/frontlines#.
Other specific push and pull factors include high levels of injustice; discrimination; lack of economic opportunities; social isolation; and political exclusion. However, it is important to dig deeper to understand how these concepts manifest within different contexts. Drivers are highly nuanced from community to community and region to region: a comprehensive analysis of drivers is crucial for developing the appropriate violence prevention strategy.
Evidence shows that long-term community-based development initiatives that address these complex push and pull factors causing a small minority of youth to engage in violence can actually increase youth voices, contribute to P/CVE, and strengthen youth participation in peacebuilding. When engaging youth’s leadership and participation within P/CVE efforts, it is critical that stakeholders: 1) work for youth as beneficiaries; 2) engage with youth as partners; and 3) support youth as leaders.
Watch this Video to Listen to a Young Iman’s Experience in Preventing Violent Extremism.
Source: OSCE. “Experience of a Young Imam.” May 9, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgDo4RDC0Tc.
