In honour of the first Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism (8-9 September), the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) continues to recognize the important role played by civil society organizations.
9 September 2022 - In honour of the first Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism (8-9 September), the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) continues to recognize the important role played by civil society organizations.
Such recognition is demonstrated through CTED’s work. Recent activities include CTED co-organizing a workshop in Cameroon in to understand and implement relevant Security Council requirements to counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
Since 2017, Cameroon has been dealing with hundreds of persons associated with Boko Haram either as terrorist suspects, victims, or hostages. During the workshop, Cameroonian authorities explored the most appropriate ways to address the current challenges. This included developing a strategy and action plan for the reparation of victims of terrorist acts, considering the communities’ needs. Participants highlighted the need to mainstream sex-specific and age dimensions while implementing these recommendations.
Additionally, CTED along with the Counter-Terrorism Committee and 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee held a joint open briefing on “ISIL in Africa: nature of threat and responses”, increasing CTED’s engagement with civil society organizations.
Indeed, engaging with civil society is part of CTED’s work. Proposals made by civil society for a more effective response to ISIL in Africa included consistently protecting and respecting human rights; more closely collaborating with a broad range of stakeholders such as local communities, religious leaders, women and youth in order to develop psychological support and meaningful vocational programmes; and sensitizing security forces to the benefits of such partnerships. Engagement with communities was important, as was ensuring that support programmes not only benefited former members of terrorist groups but also supported communities and victims. CTED learnt of how arts are used in Kenya to address trauma resulting from exposure to terrorism.
Through Security Council resolution , CTED recognizes the important role civil society organizations can play, including in the health, social welfare and education sectors in contributing to the rehabilitation and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters and their associated family members, as civil society organizations may have the relevant knowledge of, access to, and engagement with local communities to be able to confront the challenges of recruitment and radicalization to violence; and encourages Member States to engage proactively with civil society organizations when developing rehabilitation and reintegration strategies.
Visit our News page to learn more about CTED’s activities here.
Read CTED’s report on Civil Perspectives: ISIL in Africa here.
Read about CTED’s activities in Cameroon here.
Learn more about the joint open briefing on “ISIL in Africa: nature of threat and responses”, with CTED, Counter-Terrorism Committee and 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, here.