Lebanon - Preventing Violent Extremism

Strategic Partners/Donors:

The European Union funded the Strengthening Resilience 2 (SR2) project implemented in partnership with the British Council.The PVE unit and the EU cooperated with the SR2 project to support the government PVE plan. This support placed the needed resources to implement the entire action plan development activities all at once; and trigger the inception phase of the wider public participation process and helped in building a system of strategic communication

The Canadian Government

The Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is directly funding/ supporting the implementation of the project’s activities of NAP for pillars 4 (urban planning and engaging local communities) and pillar 7 (economic development and jobs creation)

The Swiss Ministry for Foreign Affairs funded the printing of the National Strategy for PVE.The Swiss Ministry for Foreign Affairs is directly funding/ supporting the project’s activities of NAP for pillar 3 (justice and rule of law)

The UNDP/PCM project represents a wide framework of strategic cooperation covering several areas with clear objectives, targets and budgetary estimations.PVE unit worked constructively with UNDP in formulating and initiating this important joint-project to help in the implementation of key items of PVE national agenda.

The National Initiative for the Centennial of Great Lebanon

Intergovernmental coordination takes place through the inter-ministerial working group. Ministries are represented by focal points, coordinated with directly by the national coordinator for PVE.

11 public departments & institutions are approached through the official communications of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers channel.

The PVE Unit has established a special coordination mechanism with the legislature, tackling specific pillars through consultative meetings with relevant parliamentary committees. The PVEU launched this process, in 2018, with the Parliamentary Committee for Education & Higher Education & Culture.

The PVE unit partners with 22 United Nations organizations, agencies, programs and offices and coordinates efforts through a specialized UN PVE Taskforce in coordination with the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon.

The PVE unit partners with 27 banks through a Banks Coordination Group, coordinated with the Lebanese central bank, Banque du Liban, and the Association of Banks in Lebanon. The working group was established in order to activate the role and contributions of the private sector in general and the banking sector in particular, and to provide national resources for financing the projects of the action plan.

The scientific research sector is a key player in presenting scientific interpretations of cases of violent extremism. A series of activities were held with various Lebanese universities and international experts to determine the mechanisms of cooperation between scientific research institutions and decision-making institutions in the prevention of violent extremism.The PVE unit has particularly partnered with UNODC and other international and local entities to conduct PVE-relevant and PVE-specific research and to organize round tables with individual experts on themes and matters related to PVE.

The MOST school program, under the project “Enhancing Policy research linkage for a State of Knowledge in Lebanon” was implemented by UNESCO in partnership with the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development (HFSHD), during the years 2018-2019 and it was the first of its kind in the Middle East.The first MOST school under this project was organized by UNESCO, Lebanese University and HFSHD in partnership with the National Coordination Unit for Preventing violent extremism. 30 Lebanese young researchers explored policy research linkage in the current policy process on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially #5 on Gender Equality and #16 on Social Inclusion and Peace, including Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Lebanon. As follow up to the first MOST School, a group of 30 researchers took part of a research meeting on “Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Lebanon: Research priorities and policy solutions” at the Grand Serail Beirut, Lebanon. This group of youth developed PVE related research papers published in the special edition (June 2019) of the LU- Institute of Social sciences newsletter. In the same framework, a national MOST School on “Youth and Prevention of Violent Extremism” was organized in partnership with the Center for Public Health Practice at the American University in Beirut (AUB). This activity aimed at introducing youth in Lebanon to the concept of violent extremism and enhancing their capacity to take part in public policymaking to promote effective policies to prevent violent extremism.

Joint discussions with representatives of national official religious institutions on the potential role of religious institutions in the coordination with governmental institutions for the contribution to the action plan implementation, strategic communications, research and diverse religious teachings.

The Strengthening Resilience - MENA II (SR2) programme is funded by the European Union and delivered by a consortium led by the British Council. It began with a pilot in 2015 until January 2021. It was under implementation in Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan. The programme in Lebanon constitutes of two components.Component 1 supports the government on national consultations, action planning, communications, stakeholder’s management, and youth surveying. 10 entities work under the Component 1 framework.Component 2 involves building individual resilience and sense of citizenship of youth, engaging them in community development and enhancing their role in political participation through training, simulation, and social action projects, in partnership with the civil society and local networks. 10 civil society organizations work in partnership with Component 2, through the newly-established Shabeb Act programme.Shabeb Act project that involves building individual resilience and sense of citizenship of youth, engaging them in community development and enhancing their role in political participation for the objective of strengthening the resilience of individuals and communities against extremist narratives and reduce the appeal of violent extremist groups through working with Civil society organisations.

Launched at the UN General Assembly in September 2015, the Strong Cities Network is the Institute of Strategic Dialogue’s global network of mayors, governors, and local practitioners united in building social cohesion and community resilience to PVE in all its forms. The network provides support to its member cities and municipalities developing local strategies and enhanced coordination on PVE. It works closely with national and local partners to establish models tailored to the cultural and institutional contexts of each members.With support from the Government of Netherlands, the Strong Cities Network is delivering a ground-breaking P/CVE project in Lebanon and Jordan. In Lebanon, the SCN is partners with the PVE unit and with member-municipalities of Majdal Anjar, Saida, and Tripoli. Today, 58 entities including local networks, religious entities and civil society organizations, partner with SCN and the PVE unit to coordinate Local Prevention Networks and implement local projects of relevance.

Reducing the Risk of Radicalization & Violent Extremism in Lebanese Prisons.Search for Common Ground (Search), in partnership with Restart Centre for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture (Restart), aim at contributing to reducing the risk of violent extremism among prison detainees in Qobbeh prison, Tripoli, through improved prison conditions and effective reintegration in targeted communities.The project implemented under the Memorandum of understanding signed with the PVE unit.The project addresses rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners and detainees back into society and providing technical support to the ISF through capacity development.To achieve this goal, the project holistically targets a variety of stakeholders including current and former detainees, their families and communities, prison authorities and staff.The project goal is supported by three objectives as follows:? Strengthening capacities of detainees, ex-detainees and prison and related officials in non-violent alternatives to transforming and resolving conflicts;? Shifting community attitudes towards supporting reintegration of ex-inmates who served time for violent extremist cases; and? Increased collaboration of prisons stakeholders through the work of an established advisory committee/task force.Key Project Activities:· Training Programme for ISF and PVE Unit· Dialogue Sessions for Detainees and ex-Detainees· Vocational Trainings· COVID Response· “My Story” Documentary and awareness raising and advocacy campaigns· Community Outreach for “My Story” Documentation Film· Reintegration Platform· Pilot Initiatives· Exchange Visit for High-level Prison Officials· Task Force Meetings· Stakeholder Conference

Channels & Partnerships

The PVE unit partners with 6 entities related to the European Union and coordinated with through the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon.