Victims of Terrorism

UNOCT/UNCCT's Victims of Terrorism Unit

The Unit aims to show solidarity with, raise awareness on, and contribute to protecting, promoting and respecting the rights and supporting the needs of victims of terrorism. The Unit also works towards building the capacity of Member States and civil society organizations to better support the needs of victims of terrorism.

Mandate of the Programme

The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy highlights the importance of protecting victims’ rights and needs. This Strategy, numerous relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, strategies, plans of action and other normative frameworks provide the basis of the Programme.  

Two recent General Assembly resolutions dedicated to victims of terrorism have created a stronger framework to increase Member States efforts on victims and has tasked the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and UNCCT to strengthen and broaden its Programme:

  • A/RES72/165 establishing the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
  • A/RES73/305 calling for strengthened international cooperation to assist victims of terrorism

 

1. Victims of Terrorism Support Portal

Victims of Terrorism Support Portal Banner

The Portal serves as a mechanism that provides practical resources and information on and for victims of terrorism. The Portal has had over 670,000 pageviews since its launch in June 2014.  

 

2. Support to Member States, including the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism

The Programme provides support to Member States through its activities on outreach, awareness raising, and capacity building. As an observer to the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, a Member-State driven initiative, UNOCT provides support and assistance when required. Examples of the Programme’s support to the Group include co-hosting of the first and second Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism during the 74th and 75th meeting of the UN General Assembly.

 

3. The United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022

UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022 Logo in English

 

The United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, convened under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, was held on 8 and 9 September 2022 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. It was also livestreamed on UNWebTV to ensure virtual participation and to allow for a diverse audience of stakeholders.

The Global Congress provided a platform for victims of terrorism to directly share experiences, challenges, stories of their resilience, and contributions to wider society in a socially connected environment and to advocate for the strengthening and upholding of their rights and effective fulfilment of their needs. The Congress allowed the audience to learn about good practices undertaken by Member States and civil society organizations, while ensuring that victims’ voices are heard and that their experiences shape the way forward in their own countries and across borders.

The Congress continued to showcase UNOCT’s United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) “Memories” campaign, which was launched during the “Victims and Survivors of Terrorism” session of the United Nations High-Level Conference on Human Rights, Civil Society and Counter-Terrorism, in Málaga, Spain, in May 2022. The campaign tells the stories of a series of objects possessed by the victims featured in the “Memories” film and photographic exhibition, and shares the memories and emotions that such objects represent to their owners. It is a simple but powerful way for audiences to relate to the victims, feel their loss, and to better understand the importance of remembering and paying tribute to victims of terrorism worldwide.

 

4. International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, 21 August
Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Memories

International Day of Victims of Terrorism 2022

The fifth International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism took place on 21 August 2022. Although it occured as the world was transitioning out of the state of emergency triggered by the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was still much uncertainty and anxiety amongst victims of terrorism as armed conflicts, violent attacks, and terrorist acts continued to impact them. Remembrance and paying tribute to victims was a central part in demonstrating that their status as victims is respected and recognised. The International Day commemorated and upheld the dignity of victims, as well as showed global solidarity in ensuring that victims are not forgotten. 

The theme for the 2022 International Day, which was selected following consultation with victims and victims’ associations, was linked with the “Memories” campaign of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)’s Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT). The theme “Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Memories” alluded to the importance of memories and the symbolic associations these can hold for victims of terrorism. Physical objects can hold memories, emotions and aspirations and they are the link to people who are no longer with us. They keep us connected to versions of ourselves that were forever changed by a traumatic event, such as a terrorist attack.  

An online high-level event entitled ‘Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Memories’ was broadcast with a message of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres, Under-Secretary-General Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, The Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism and featured testimonies from four victims of terrorism.

This event was organised in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism.

The event provided an opportunity for victims to share their stories and to urge the international community to strengthen their rights and address their needs, even during a global health emergency. It seeks to build on and consolidate these efforts and translate them into practical and sustainable actions at the national level, shaping the way forward on national and cross-border commemoration efforts, and on developing comprehensive national assistance plans that address the need of victims of terrorism for communal support, remembrance, and even redress.

 

5. Capacity building and technical assistance to Member States, civil society and victims

Through its capacity building activities, the Programme seeks to strengthen the knowledge, skills and understanding of how to better support victims by Member States and civil society organisations, including victims associations. Activities have included media training for victims to strengthen their key messages, providing technical assistance to governments on victims assistance, on-line courses and publication of the Handbook “Good Practices to Support Victims Associations in Africa and the Middle East” (2018) and “Guidelines and Principles for Civil Society Organizations to Assist, Protect and Support Victims of Terrorism in Asia-Pacific” (2020). 

 

6. UN System coordination

UNCCT, through its Programme, has a pivotal role in coordinating the UN’s support to victims, particularly through the Global Compact Working Group on Promoting and Protecting Human Rights and the Rule of Law while Countering Terrorism and Victims of Terrorism. As vice-chair of the Working Group, UNOCT/UNCCT leads on work and activities on victims, coordinating and implementing the workplan on victims, as well as for other activities.  

 

7. Advocacy, outreach and policy work

The Programme provides a platform to raise victims voices, for victims to share their experiences and to advocate for their rights and needs. Through awareness raising events, building networks, avenues for dialogue, and developing policy, the Programme ensures that victims remains at the centre of PCVE efforts. Our work has also included stronger collaboration with civil society organisations, including victims associations and raising awareness of Member States on victims issues, for example during the review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. 

Overview of the Programme

UNCCT's Victims of Terrorism Support Programme:

  • Supports implementation of the “Enhancement of International Cooperation to Assist Victims of Terrorism” (A/RES/73/305)
  • Establishes victims and victims’ associations networks across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America 
  • Provides a platform to listen to victims’ voices, particularly through conferences, brown bags etc. 
  • Held the first UN Global Congress of Victims of September from 8 to 9 September 2022  
  • Develops multimedia products for social media and interviews of victims.
  • Under the UNCCT Victims of Terrorism Documentary series, it produced three documentaries on Mali, Norway and Cameroon that all highlight the human impact of terrorism.  

Programme's Activities

The Global Programme seeks to advocate for, support outreach, shape policy and build the capacity of Member States to support victims, victims of terrorism associations and civil society. It aims to stand in solidarity with victims, strengthen victims’ voices and their role in preventing and countering violent extremism. 

Activities of the programme include:  

  1. Victims of Terrorism Support Portal
  2. Support to Member States, including the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism
  3. The United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism 2022
  4. The International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism  
  5. Capacity building and technical assistance to Member States, civil society and victims
  6. UN system coordination
  7. Advocacy, outreach and policy work