In response to the global threat of violent extremism, the United Nations (UN) has adopted a comprehensive approach that involves aligning ongoing interventions with the goals of preventing violent extremism (PVE) while aspiring to use human rights-based approaches as opposed to the conventional hard-security counterterrorism responses. Unfortunately, there has been inadequate research on how the UN and other international organizations can promote human rights as part of their PVE programming.

Drawing on research conducted in Kyrgyzstan, “Preventing Violent Extremism While Promoting Human Rights: Toward a Clarified UN Approach” introduces findings on the strategic shift of peacebuilding interventions toward PVE and the barriers in protecting human rights during interventions. The report concludes that PVE approaches to peacebuilding are fundamentally ambiguous, which may be hindering promotion of human rights. These ambiguities lie both in the terminology and strategies of intervention and in the drivers of radicalization and violent extremism.

Read/download the report here

At Arigatou International – End Child Poverty, we believe that preventing violent extremism will provide a peaceful environment which accelerates efforts to end child poverty. In this regard, we work towards promoting peace by PVE through our Regional Peace Programme (RPP) covering 12 countries in the East and Horn of Africa. Our approach involves fostering interfaith and social-cultural interaction among religious leaders, youth, women and children, thus promoting peace. At the same time, we believe that human rights are universal, inherent and should be guaranteed to everyone. We believe that efforts to end child poverty are more fruitful in a pro-human rights environment.