Violence and Security

UNESCO Seeks "Anti-Extremism" Education in Lebanon

July 17, 2017

As part of its broad agendas pushing national governments to promote "global citizenship" and prevent "violent extremism" through their education systems, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently hosted a workshop in Lebanon on "mainstreaming" anti-extremism approaches in the country's schools.
UNESCO Pushes for Global "Diversity and Tolerance" Education

July 17, 2017

The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has commissioned a global analysis finding a need for national education systems to hasten progress in "mainstreaming" the values of "cultural diversity and tolerance" in curricula as part of the UN agency's "Global Citizenship Education" agenda.
Boko Haram Attacks Devastate Cameroon, Nigeria

July 14, 2017

This week, Cameroon and Nigeria faced successive waves of suicide-bombing attacks suspected to be the work of militants from Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group seeking to use guerrilla-jihadi warfare to impose sharia law throughout West Africa.
Italy Turns to Prison Imams to Prevent Radicalization

July 14, 2017

The Italian government is implementing a new program that will use Imams trained for prison ministry as a mode for preventing Islamist radicalization and jihadi recruitment among Italy's fast-growing Muslim inmate population.
EU Rights Agency Supports "Hate Speech" Prosecution

July 14, 2017

In a conversation with justice ministers of EU member states, the Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights called on governments to take a "comprehensive, rights-based approach" to "hate speech" that appears online, including through the prosecution of offenders.
UN Chief Seeks Rights-Based Approach to Terror

July 14, 2017

Chairing a recent high-level meeting on counter-terrorism strategies in Central Asia, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for governments to take a human rights-based approach to combating terrorism and to take care not to sideline minorities who have "suffered structural discrimination and marginalization."
UN Official Seeks Ambitious Commitment to Refugee Placement

July 14, 2017

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi recently called on countries around the world to "step up" in offering asylum to refugees in line with their global commitments, warning that resettlement needs are currently outpacing available places by a factor of 13 to 1.
Muslim Reformers Discuss Needs for Countering Violent Islamism

July 13, 2017

Muslim reform organizations such as the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and the Muslim Reform Movement are pushing for a major paradigm shift in how Western countries meet the challenges of global Islamism, arguing that it is a civilizational worldview whose ideas must be defeated as a precondition to military success against Islamist terror.
Experts Outline How to Avoid Islamist Resurgence in Iraq, Syria

July 13, 2017

US foreign policy and security experts are stressing the importance of economic development, professionalizing the police forces, and a continued US military presence in post-Islamic State (IS) Iraq and Syria to minimize the chances of a resurgence of Islamist extremism and violence in these countries.
UN Chief Focuses on SDGs to Prevent Terrorism

July 13, 2017

At a meeting of the Eurasian multilateral organization the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kazakhstan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pointed to "inclusive and sustainable development," in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as the best guarantor against "violent extremism."