Empowering and Engaging Youth in Somalia, Mozambique and Nigeria to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism and Terrorism under the overall framework of UNOCT’s Global Programme on the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism
In 2024, 50 youth (25 from Somalia, 25 from Kenya) were trained. In Somalia, peer sessions reached 179 youth; in Kenya, 313 youth were engaged. Both groups contributed policy recommendations at national dialogues.
A regional dialogue in Nairobi brought together 45 stakeholders where youth presented nine policy recommendations. YEEP participants now collaborate with national authorities through the YEEP and UNOCT Youth Alumni Networks, supporting national Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) strategies.
Synopsis
Objectives
The project aims to support the empowerment, participation, and inclusion of young African women and men in efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism (PCVE) and terrorism, to enhance individual and community resilience, and to reduce the threat of violent extremism and terrorism.
Components
Main components included conducting youth and gender-sensitive context, conflict, and stakeholder analyses; delivering national training workshops to enhance young leaders' understanding of violent extremism and CT/PCVE frameworks; supporting peer-to-peer youth workshops to identify CT/PCVE priorities; organizing national policy development and dialogue events; convening a regional workshop for cross-country exchange; producing a final report with best practices, lessons learned, and youth insights; and supporting youth participation in the UNOCT Youth Alumni Network and broader African youth networks.
Main achievements
The project established the Youth Engagement and Empowerment Programme (YEEP), which has facilitated youth-led peer-to-peer sessions as well as national and regional policy dialogues. Nigeria was selected as the first Member State, and in 2023, a Youth Leader Network was launched there, comprising 23 young leaders, including 12 women. This network has since trained 137 youth leaders and reached over 1,000 peers through peer engagement activities.
Although Mozambique was initially identified as the third Member State, the project was not implemented there due to safeguarding concerns for youth. In response, a decision was made in 2024 to shift implementation to Kenya.
That same year, 50 young people (25 women and 25 men) were selected from youth networks in Somalia and Kenya. In Somalia, 26 participants conducted peer-led sessions reaching 179 youth, while also engaging community leaders and women’s associations. In Kenya, 24 participants reached 313 peers, fostering dialogue on drivers of violent extremism and related prevention strategies. Youth participants from both countries presented policy recommendations during national policy dialogues held in 2024.
To consolidate these experiences, a regional policy dialogue was convened in Nairobi, where YEEP leaders presented nine evidence-based policy recommendations to over 40 policymakers. The event gathered 45 participants from government, civil society, the United Nations System, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
Finally, all YEEP participants were integrated into the UNOCT/UNCCT YEEP Alumni Network and Youth Alumni Network, through which they continue to collaborate with their National Counter-Terrorism Centres, contributing meaningfully to the development of national Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) strategies.
Impact
Through empowering young people as leaders in CT/PCVE and bridging the gap between young people and key decision makers in these fields, this project directly contributes to strengthened individual, community and national resilience to violent extremism, as well as a reduced threat of terrorism.
YEEP Nigeria in-person workshop 18-22 September 2023