Ashgabat, 22 October 2020: UNDP conducted a series of regional dialogues convening regional and international PVE stakeholders, focusing on a wide array of pressing issues on violent extremism in the region. These regional dialogues under “Strengthening Community Resilience and Regional Cooperation for Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asia” (PVE) regional project brought together representatives of national governments, local and international civil society organizations, international development partners, academia and representatives from the UN family to promote knowledge exchange and facilitate networks among PVE practitioners.
The fifth and last regional dialogue under the regional UNDP project aims to build on the successes of the previous regional dialogues and the progress on prevention of violent extremism in Central Asia since the inception of the UNDP Regional Project.
“Youth policy is the most important direction of the social strategy and ideological activity of the state. Issues of spiritual, moral and physical formation of the young generation are always in the focus of attention of the government of the country, noted Begmuhammet Meredov, specialist of the youth organization of Turkmenistan named after Magtymguly.
The Regional Dialogue comprise of a series of thematic online consultations, bringing together regional and international PVE practitioners to understand the recent past and upcoming trends on violent extremism and its prevention, under changing global circumstances, ranging from COVID-19 to the return and reintegration of individuals associated with UN-designated terrorist groups.
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By the beginning of 2020, UNDP had directly supported 5739 young women and young men from Kazakhstan (1033), Kyrgyz Republic (3200), Tajikistan (1079) and Turkmenistan (427), through capacity building activities and mentorship related to business, professional orientation and entrepreneurship, vocational trainings and apprenticeship opportunities, access to financial opportunities to support future business and entrepreneurship, soft skills such as critical thinking, and psychosocial support and awareness raising activities.
Beyond the youth participants in the projects, UNDP’s interventions continue to support the capacities of law enforcement, correctional authorities, local authorities, social support services, civil society, among other stakeholders to build resilience in communities.
UNDP continues to play a key role in Prevention of Violent Extremism efforts globally in close cooperation with the UN Office for Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) and in partnership with UN agencies, international development partners, national governments, civil society and the private sector .
