The Group of Friends of Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) is co-chaired by Jordan and Norway. Participation in the Group of Friends is open to all UN Member States, subject to approval from the members of the group.
The Group was launched in New York, 28 September 2017.
Read more: Launched new Group of Friends of Preventing Violent Extremism
The hashtag for the group is #Friends4PVE.
What
The Group meets annually at Ministerial level in the margins of the General Assembly. It also holds regular meetings in New York, with Permanent Representatives and/or Experts.
Read more: Concept Note for Friends4PVE (.pdf)
The objective of the Group is to:
- Raise awareness of the need to address the underlying conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism and terrorism.
- Promote institutionalization of Preventing Violent Extremism across the UN system, including through coordination and cooperation between UN security, development, educational, and other relevant entities in the field and at headquarters (“One UN”).
- Provide political support to efforts by the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and other Counter-Terrorism entities of the UN to prevent violent extremism as part of a balanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
- Share lessons learned and best practices around various topics pertaining to Preventing Violent Extremism such as the importance of good governance, human rights, gender equality, women’s and youth engagement, education, development, and rehabilitation and reintegration strategies.
- Support local, community-level initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience against violent extremism.
- Share best practices related to the development of national strategies, expertise, and tools to effectively prevent violent extremism.
- Provide a forum for discussion and coordination between UN entities, governments, civil society, and other stakeholders to ensure streamlined and non-duplicative efforts against violent extremism.
- Highlight the importance of the full and effective participation of women and youth in efforts to prevent violent extremism.
Why
Recent years have seen a steady rise in violent extremism conducive to terrorism. Violent extremist groups have perpetrated indescribable acts of violence and brutality, and caused human suffering and carnage on an unprecedented scale. Their ideologies of intolerance and violence pose a challenge to our shared values of peace, security, human rights, and the rule of law.
The Group of Friends of Preventing Violent Extremism as and when conducive to terrorism (PVE) seeks to promote a comprehensive approach to confront terrorism and violent extremism, that addresses the underlying conditions that drive individuals to radicalize. The Group shall seek a balanced implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, with appropriate attention given to all of its four pillars, as well as the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.
Members of the Group
These countries are currently members of the Group of Friends of Preventing Violent Extremism:
- Jordan (chair)
- Norway (chair)
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Belgium
- Canada
- Chile
- Czech republic
- Denmark
- European Union
- Finland
- France
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Italy
- Kenya
- Lebanon
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Peru
- Poland
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- The United Arab Emirates
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
- Singapore
- Nigeria
- Slovakia
For information regarding the Group of Friends of Preventing Violent Extremism please contact delun@mfa.no.
