The United Nations will continue to support Member States in addressing terrorism and violent extremism in line with the principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states a July 26 letter from the director of the UN’s Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT)/Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). That letter was sent in response to a June 27 letter from the Charity & Security Network and three other nonprofits endorsing peacebuilders’ input to the UN’s 10-year review of its 2006 Counter-Terrorism Strategy and deliberations of its Platform for Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.

The UN letter notes that Member States, in passing Resolution A/RES/70/291, which provides the basis for the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (A/70/674), addressed some of the specific concerns that the peacebuilders and other nonprofits expressed in their letters. For example, Paragraphs 15 and 16 of the Resolution note that the violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and refugee law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, while countering terrorism, may fuel violent extremism that can be conducive to terrorism.

In addition, the CTITF has a number of projects aimed to address these same concerns, the UN letter states. These include modules on “Effective counter-terrorism investigations and prosecutions while respecting human rights and the rule of law,” and a “Study of the impact of measures taken to suppress the flow of foreign terrorist fighters on human rights.”

The Charity & Security Network will continue to work with its members to ensure that counterterrorism policies and actions do not fuel the grievances that drive individuals toward violent extremism.