
FAMILY ROLE TO COUNTER VIOLENT EXTREMISM
Family members are usually the first and best equipped to recognize signs of potential radicalization to violence.
Community should create a new working group to focused on the important role of families in preventing and countering violent extremism. The working group underlined the fact that family members are usually the first and best equipped to recognize signs of potential radicalization to violence. Despite this understanding, families are often under-utilized in this area, probably due to the challenging nature of such partnerships between governments and non-governmental actors.
Governments may be reluctant to bring in family members into their counterterrorism and CVE efforts for a variety of reasons, including the fact that families may sometimes be part of the problem, in cases where family members are supportive of the terrorist ideology or causes. Families, on the other hand, may not always be inclined to work with or assist the government in furthering its counterterrorism agenda. In spite of these obstacles, families can play such a vital and unique role, that it is key that both sides work to overcome these challenges, where possible.
While family members can be instrumental in pulling their relatives away from the terrorist influence, there are also other actors who can play similar roles. For example, when a relationship between child and parents is weak, officials may utilize other members of the individual’s support system such as a community or religious figure.
“Families are vital to preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). From shaping attitudes toward non-violence to serving as a “front line” actor in identifying signs of possible radicalization to violence, preventing such radicalization’s onset, and intervening in the radicalization process, families represent key, often under-utilized, partners in P/CVE efforts.”
“Fathers and male family members are also central in shaping notions of masculinity that VEs have proven adept at manipulating and militarizing. Fathers, brothers, and other men in the community can work to blunt such narratives — including by calling attention to the falseness of VE propaganda, or by emphasizing culturally relevant, non-violent values of protection of, and provision for, family.”
“The ability to resist VE is multilevel in character. It is a property not only of individuals, but of families and communities, requiring common values, strong social networks, and shared problem-solving mechanisms. Yet, in many communities, women and children’s access to the public sphere is limited.” Below are some recommendation:-
• Prioritize strengthening family-based social networks — and particularly parental influence — to build resilience to violent extremism (VE).
• Support and empower women — particularly mothers — as prevention protagonists.
• Engage fathers and respected community males to gain access to vulnerable communities, and to shape existing cultural narratives, which VEs manipulate.
• Support the development of family commitments in VE prevention programming. Family commitments can play an important role in prevention, in part by “raising the costs” of participation in VE. #NotAnotherNigrian family left out in preventing and #CVE @neieffellows.
REFERENCE
Global Counter Terrorism Forum
Enwikipedia.family.role/counteringviolent.com
