Global CVE
Prevent isn’t unique to the UK. Governments across the world run similar programmes under the banner of “Countering Violent Extremism” (CVE) — policies that claim to stop terrorism before it happens, but in practice profile innocent people and erode basic rights. These pages show how CVE works globally, and the harms it causes.
“According to the United Nations, ‘’there is no clear, universally agreed definition of violent extremism; in fact, the term ‘extremism’ has no basis in binding international legal standards …
“The inconsistent approach to defining violent extremism has led to vague definitions that … are used as justifications for violating the human rights and fundamental freedoms of certain groups and individuals.’’
What is CVE?
- From 2016, the United Nations called for all member states to develop national Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) plans.
- Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) – now known as Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) – policies and measures are viewed as a ‘soft’ counter-terrorism measure to tackle the ‘roots’ of ‘radicalisation’ and ‘extremism’.
- The UK’s Prevent is widely viewed as a pioneer in CVE policies and a blueprint for best practice in CVE.
- CVE policies largely promote a ‘whole of society’ approach.
- From 2016, the UN has called for all member states to develop national CVE policies despite there being no universally agreed definitions of ‘extremism’.
Vague definitions and lack of accountability and regulation mean countries can:
- Shape their CVE policies according to their own definitions of ‘extremism’
- Target communities based on the states own perception of the ‘threat’ or ‘problem’
- Use CVE policies as a political tool to shut down opposition
- Cast the net wide with ‘catch all phrases’ that target legitimate views and beliefs
- Use the language of security to disregard human rights obligationsÂ
CVE in the News
Challenging CVE: Connecting for Change
We believe it is important to learn from each other to hold CVE policies to account.Â
Our aim is to connect with others around the world to:
- Share best practices on challenging unchecked CVE policies
- Monitor the impact of CVE policies around the world
- Ensure human rights compliance in state policiesÂ
- Identify gaps in research and evidence base within CVE policies
- Connect with others to build a global knowledge base on the harms of CVE
Push back against Global CVE
Prevent Watch is building links to organisations in the US and elsewhere to challenge CVE’s securitisation of children and other groups.
How to identify a CVE-funded programme or group.
How to challenge CVE in your country.
Read our list of organisations challenging global CVE and join it.
The UK’s Prevent duty and Global CVE
Global CVE policies share similarities with Prevent because:
- Prevent is widely considered as the pioneer in CVE policies
- Many global CVE policies are modelled after the same flawed premise and principles as Prevent
- As with Prevent, global CVE policies rely on a ‘whole of society’ approach to tackle radicalisation, including enlisting public sector workersÂ
- The CVE industry has strong links to the UK’s Prevent industry and UK think tanks often feature on CVE platforms
Research and Reports
CVE and Education
CVE and Aid
Who is part of global CVE?
CVE and Aid
For more on how CVE is tied into aid groups activities, see here.
- Major aid organisations that have adopted CVE include …
- CVE is linked to aid through being a necessary part of outreach that all aid groups must not only agree to, but prove that they are implementing.
- This means that CVE is part of teaching children, feeding efforts, agricultural and building projects, and all community work by foreign aid organisations.
- Major aid organisations that have adopted CVE include …
- CVE is linked to aid through being a necessary part of outreach that all aid groups must not only agree to, but prove that they are implementing.
- This means that CVE is part of teaching children, feeding efforts, agricultural and building projects, and all community work by foreign aid organisations.
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