UNDP’s development and peacebuilding approach

1. Preventing Violent extremism through inclusive development and the promotion of tolerance and respect for diversity UNDP’s development and peacebuilding approach

2. Conceptual principles • Avoid a sole focus on religious extremism. • Not a new problem but the challenges are more complex • “Radicalization” is not necessarily a problem. • Violent extremism emerges when radical behaviour starts to make use of fear, violence and terrorist activities as the means of expression. • Youth are not the problem, they are part of the solution

3. Link between PVE and movement of people • Links between conflict, fragility, violent extremism and movement of people. • Countries with more than 500 deaths from violent extremism had highest levels of migration. • Spiral effect: Migration exploited by a xenophobic ideology; reactions out of fear for loss of entitlements. • Spill- over effects across borders, regionally and globally.

4. Towards pluralistic societies • Diversity because of migration, the flow of ideas and people and increasing belief in the universality of human rights • From homogenous to more heterogeneous and multicultural societies. • Political settlements need to ensure peaceful governance of increasingly heterogeneous societies. • Tolerance and understanding for diverse ideas and cultures (global citizenship) are at the heart of the new development agenda.

5. Two interlinked trends • rise of violent extremism • the governance of increasingly diverse, multi-cultural societies. Muslim HR lawyer and writer living from Palestinian and Egyptian origin living in Australia. Raised in both catholic and Islamic schools. • better governance of diversity leading to societies better inoculated against violent extremism?

6. Understanding the rise in VE – what is new • The globalizationof violent extremism. • The ability to use modern communication technology. • The level of unpredictability of violent extremist attacks. • An unprecedented access to lethal weapons.

7. Drivers of violent extremism Rejection of growing diversity in society Changing global culture & banalization of violence Economic exclusion & limited opportunities for upward mobility Political exclusion, shrinking civic space (media) & limited opportunities for participation Drivers Role of global and regional Weak state capacity and failing security Rejection of socio-economic and political system Perceptions of injustice, corruption & mistreatment of certain groups Radicalisation Individual, emotional and psychological factors Socialisation (friends, family, education, church, mosques…) Active recruitment Violent extremism

8. Understanding the problems • Drivers create a conducive environment for radicalisation. • Not all frustrated individuals become radical • Not all radical individuals or movements become violent • Socialisation processes facilitated by personal, emotional and psychological factors • Understanding of the factors leading from each phase to the next

9. From radicalization to peaceful contestation or violent extremism Peaceful advocacy and contestation as a driver of change Structural drivers of radical behavior and action Radicalisation Violent extremism

10. UNDP’s response – a development approach to PVE • The root causes: • shortcomings in development, • failures of governance; failure of conflict resolution systems • absence or weakness of early warning systems. • Security approach is needed but needs to be complemented by development and peacebuilding/ governance solutions. • Sustainable solutions require an inclusive development approach anchored in tolerance, political and economic empowerment, and reduction of inequalities.

11. The building blocks of regional and national strategies for preventing violent extremism Preventing violent extremism through inclusive development, the promotion of tolerance and respect for diversity Promotion of inclusive development, tolerance and governance of diversity Rule of law and human-rights-based approach to PVE Local governments capacity for service delivery and security Enhancing the fight against corruption Educating respect for human rights, diversity and global citizenship in schools and universities Enhanced participatory decision making and civic space at national and local levels Working with media to promote a local narrative of tolerance, co-existence and respect for human rights and diversity Alternative socio-economic opportunities to violence for groups at risk Preventing Violent extremism Community based early warning &prevention, deradicalisation, reintegration, reconciliation Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment Internal intermediaries to promote dialogue with alienated groups & reintegration of former extremists Engage youth in decision-making and building social cohesion Working with faith-based organsations and \religious leaders

12. UNDP’s response – two main components • Research, policy and advocacy agenda • Action-oriented agenda • Target group of 25-30 countries essentially in 4 regions (Africa, the Arab States, Europe and Asia

13. UNDP’s programmatic agenda Partnerships Research and advocacy Policy dialogues Program Support Lessons Learned PVE grants mechanism

14. Strategies at the national level • Analysis and adaptation of UNDP’s existing portfolio of projects. • The design of new catalytic projects to support PVE. • The launch of fast-track projects needed to address immediate challenges

15. The future of humanity is a world of co-existence We are in the business of hope