Countering Extremism and Violent Extremism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

The fall of Daesh in Syria did not bring an end to the terrorist organization. The group’s widespread influence has left numerous challenges related to countering violent extremism and countering terrorism in the MENA region at all levels of society including socio-political, psychological and educational aspects, among others.

Hedayah is leveraging its pool of experts to research best practices, approaches, challenges, and lessons learned from the Gulf and broader Middle East-related to prevention and spread of radicalization leading to violent extremism. This program is of significant importance to the region as it will bring together different organizations and allow mutual learning of strategies, approaches, and activities seeking to prevent radicalization leading to violent extremism and terrorism in the region. One of Hedayah’s problem-solving approaches is to convene experts on the topic and create an environment for knowledge sharing so that challenges posed by groups such as Daesh can be overcome easier through our mutual efforts that include knowledge sharing.

The team of five researchers is conducting interviews in nine different countries with local expert organizations (both government and non-government entities) to gain knowledge on the most important countering violent extremism strategies that have been implemented under the direction of both secular and religious authorities. The research will cover topics such as the efforts and campaigns implemented to counter the narratives of terrorist groups, the development of national action plans/strategies, and approaches to rehabilitation and reintegration in prison/custodial settings.