Empowering Civil Society and Survivors
CGCC believes that a vibrant civil society that provides individuals the opportunity to effect change through peaceful means is one of the most powerful anecdotes to the appeal of violent extremism.
CGCC works to highlight the important contributions of civil society to countering terrorism by raising awareness among government officials and civil society groups themselves about these contributions, in particular addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. CGCC has partnered with Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, to raise awareness of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy among civil society groups in Southeast Asia and has undertaken similar efforts in Africa and South Asia.
CGCC also has supported the work of the Global Survivors Network, a leading advocate for the role of survivors in effective counterterrorism efforts. Its groundbreaking documentary film, “Killing in the Name,” received numerous awards and was nominated for an Academy Award as best documentary short in 2011.
Latest
Publications
Reckoning with the Consequences of Two Decades of Counterterrorism
This opinion piece in The Hill penned by executive director Eelco Kessels reflects on the twenty years since September 11th to underscore the urgency of restoring human rights and centering civil society in global security efforts....
Publications
What the Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Tells Us About How Far We Have Come Since 9/11
Twenty years after 9/11, the upcoming 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September is sure to be a time for reflection on UN and global efforts to counter terrorism and prevent the spread of violent extremism. However, insights for the upcoming discussions can already be gleaned from...
Project
Enhancing Civil Society Engagement in UN Counterterrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Efforts
The Global Center is undertaking a project to identify opportunities to strengthen the UN’s engagement with civil society in its efforts to counter terrorism and prevent the spread of violent extremism. The purpose of the project is to develop recommendations to enhance engagement between civil society and members of the...
Events
New York / Virtual and HybridThe Second Counter-Terrorism Week and High-Level Conference
The Global Center participated in and hosted events during the UN's Second Counter-Terrorism Week. From 21-30 June 2021, the United Nations organized the Second Counter-Terrorism Week and High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States to accompany the negotiations and adoption of the seventh review of the UN...
Publications
A ‘Whole of Society’ Approach? Exploring Civil Society Inclusion in National Frameworks to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism
This brief explores how civil society is included in national frameworks to prevent and counter violent extremism at different stages of the policy cycle, including in design, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. In doing so, the analysis contributes to a stocktaking of how international recommendations on civil society inclusion are...
Publications
Engagement With Civil Society: The Missing Piece in UN Counterterrorism Efforts
Civil society organizations are often more knowledgeable, experienced, and trusted by local communities than governments, and their contributions have been well documented across various aspects of counterterrorism and prevention. As part of a series on the role of the UN system in preventing violent extremism and countering terrorism by the...
Events
New York, USA / VirtualCivil Society Reflections on the 2021 Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
On 10 March 2021, the Global Center hosted a high-level event inviting civil society representatives to share reflections on the 2021 report of the Secretary-General on the Activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the seventh review of the Strategy. The event...
Events
New York / Virtual RoundtablesGlobal Center Roundtable Series
The Global Center is hosting a series of interactive, informal roundtable discussions on substantive issues and new developments relating to violent extremism, terrorism, and counterterrorism with guest speakers representing the United Nations, national governments, civil society, and the private sector. These roundtables are part of the Global Center’s work on...
Publications
Blue Sky V: An Independent Analysis of UN Counterterrorism Efforts
This report, the fifth in the “Blue Sky” series, explores how the UN’s comparative advantage can be leveraged to improve the policy development, interagency coordination, delivery, and impact of counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts in support of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It first observes the growth of...
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