A/HRC/34/NGO/61 Youth and preventing extremisms and protecting human rights The only — strategy to isolate and defeat terrorism is by respecting human rights, fostering social justice, enhancing democracy and upholding the primacy of the rule of law. The late Sergio Vieira de Mello, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002).1 Terrorism and violent extremism aims at the very destruction of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It attacks the values that lie at the heart of the Charter of the United Nations and other international instruments: is a denial of democracy and of human rights, which are at the very core of our existence as equal. But what are the effective approaches that combine countering radicalization with human rights protection as mutually reinforcing goals? What roles can young people, often considered especially vulnerable to the threat? How can we make educational efforts work in the digital era? In some countries counter-terrorism measures continue to violate human rights in taking extreme measures include: prolonged, incommunicado detention without judicial review; torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees; the transfer, return, extradition, and expulsion of persons at risk of being subjected to torture or ill treatment; and the adoption of security measures that curtail the right to freedom of association and movement and breach the principle of non-discrimination. While the primarily discussions concerned with implementing international human rights standards within counterterrorism policies and, as such, its focus is the relevant standards in international human rights law it is crucial to invest more in prevention measures targeting young people Despite the numerous initiatives by the UN and state members to prevent or counter violent extremism there is no generally accepted definition of violent extremism, which remains an ‘elusive concept’, Violent extremism is a diverse phenomenon, without clear definition. It is neither new nor exclusive to any region, nationality or system of belief2 Nevertheless, in recent years, terrorist groups have shaped our image of violent extremism and the debate on how to address the factors that violent extremism into terrorism; we need to recognize that the choice to support violent extremism is driven by many factors; a sense of disengagement and marginalization, despite the interconnected world we live in, leaves young people vulnerable to recruitment wherever they are. Some young people join violent extremist groups as a way to pursue exclusionary ideologies, to rectify real and/or perceived injustice, or to feel part of something larger than themselves. Some feel coerced to use violence because of manipulation or fear. The resulting violence has taken too many innocent lives, in response; governments have taken action to counter violent extremist movements, often through military force. However, this approach only tackles the symptoms of the problem rather than addressing the factors driving participation in violent extremism. In many instances, security responses by governments further aggravate tensions and trigger more support for violent ideologies. This approach often adds to the feeling of exclusion and fails to engage youth as key allies in building resilience against violent extremism. In its resolution 2178 (2014), the Security Council makes explicit the link between violent extremism and terrorism, underscores the importance of measures being in line with international norms and recognizes the need for prevention: “violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism”, requires collective efforts, “including preventing radicalization, recruitment and mobilization of individuals into terrorist groups and becoming foreign terrorist fighters”. 1 2 2 http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/docs/rights/2002_10_21_hchr_statement.pdf https://undg.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/SG-Plan-of-Action-to-Prevent-Violent-Extremism-1.pdf