Hope of finding work is the leading factor driving people to join fast-growing violent extremist groups in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new report launched today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Among nearly 2,200 interviewees, one-quarter of voluntary recruits cited job opportunities as their primary reason for joining, a 92 per cent increase from the findings of听.
Religion came as the third reason for joining, cited by 17 per cent 鈥斕齛 57听per cent听decrease from the 2017findings, with a majority of recruits admitting to having limited knowledge of religious texts.听
Nearly half of the respondents cited a specific trigger event pushing them to join violent extremist groups, with a striking 71 per听cent pointing to human rights abuse, often conducted by state security forces, as 鈥榯he tipping point鈥�.
Sub-Saharan Africa has become the new global epicenter of violent extremism with 48% of global terrorism deaths in 2021. This surge not only adversely impacts lives, security and peace, but also threatens to reverse hard-won development gains for generations to come.
鈥淪ub-Saharan Africa has become the new global epicenter of violent extremism with 48% of global terrorism deaths in 2021. This surge not only adversely impacts lives, security and peace, but also threatens to reverse hard-won development gains for generations to come,鈥� said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.
- 鈥淛ourney to Extremism in Africa: Pathways to Recruitment and Disengagement,鈥澨�builds on UNDP鈥檚 groundbreaking 2017鈥�鈥�.听
- This report听is part of听听on the prevention of violent extremism, including an analysis of the latest dynamics of violent extremist groups in Sub-Saharan Africa and recommendations for specific development actions.听
- It听draws from interviews with nearly 2,200听people in eight countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan.听
- More than of the 1,000 interviewees are former members of violent extremist groups, both voluntary and forced recruits.
Mr. Steiner added: 鈥淪ecurity-driven counter-terrorism responses are often costly and minimally effective, yet investments in preventive approaches to violent extremism are woefully inadequate. The social contract between states and citizens must be reinvigorated to tackle root causes of violent extremism.鈥澨�
鈥淛ourney to Extremism in Africa: Pathways to Recruitment and Disengagement鈥澨齞raws from interviews with nearly 2,200听people in eight countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan.听
More than 1,000 interviewees are former members of violent extremist groups, both voluntary and forced recruits.
The report听explores pathways out of violent extremism, identifying factors that push or pull recruits to disengage.
Research shows that听those who decide to disengage from violent extremism are less likely to re-join and recruit others.听This is why it鈥檚 so important to invest in incentives that听enable disengagement.听Local communities play a pivotal role in supporting sustainable pathways out of violent extremism, along with national governments amnesty programmes.
Interviewees most often cited unmet expectations, particularly financial expectations, and lack of trust in the group鈥檚 leadership as their main reasons for leaving. It also听presents gendered data to understand violent extremism from the perspective of women.
鈥淩esearch shows that听those who decide to disengage from violent extremism are less likely to re-join and recruit others. This is why it is so important to invest in incentives that听enable disengagement.听Local communities play a pivotal role in supporting sustainable pathways out of violent extremism, along with national governments amnesty programmes,鈥澨齍NDP Preventing Violent Extremism technical lead in Africa听Nirina Kiplagat said.
To听counter and prevent violent extremism, the report recommends听greater investment in听basic services including child welfare; education; quality livelihoods; and investing in young men and women.听
It also calls for scaling-up exit opportunities and investment in rehabilitation and community-based reintegration services.
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