International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism

On 12 February 2024, the United Nations will commemorate the second International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism through a series of events and activities. Follow us on social media using #PVEDay

About International #PVEDay

Violent extremism conducive to terrorism poses a serious threat to peace and security and is an affront to humanity – affecting people of all ages, cultures, religions and nationalities. 

The United Nations General Assembly (in its resolution 77/243) declared 12 February the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism (PVE day).

The International PVE Day brings together Member States, the United Nations system and all relevant stakeholders—including civil society, religious leaders, the private sector, academia and the media, to strengthen the international community’s resolve to address the conditions conducive to terrorism, to raise awareness on the threat of violent extremism and renew commitments to collaborate on preventing its spread.

Background

Terrorist groups like ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and their affiliates continue to exploit instability and conflict to expand and intensify attacks in many parts of the world. These groups exploit conflict, fragility, poverty, weak governance and marginalization to recruit and indoctrinate followers including through narratives of grievance and actual or perceived injustice. No country is immune from the threat of terrorist attacks and the impact of terrorism and violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism on social cohesion, sustainable development, and human rights.

While Member States and their respective national institutions have primary responsibility in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academia, religious leaders, and the media play an important role in addressing this scourge.

The 8th review resolution of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy reaffirmed the need for Governments and the international community to enhance cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism in a coordinated, inclusive, transparent and human rights-based, gender-responsive manner.
 

The Work of the United Nations on Preventing Violent Extremism

Preventing violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism contributes to the wider peace and security efforts of the United Nations system and its goals to prevent conflict and sustain peace. 

The United Nations designs and delivers targeted capacity-building initiatives to address the underlying conditions and drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism at the global, regional, and country levels, with a focus on human rights and gender mainstreaming, and on developing sustainable partnerships in support of PVE coordination.

The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact and its Working Group on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism are essential in providing strategic level guidance to the United Nations work on PCVE, and to promote coordination and coherence in our common efforts to support Member States, with respect for human rights and the rule of law as the fundamental basis, and with an essential focus on gender equality and youth empowerment.