Towards Pathways for Peacebuilding and Development to Reduce Violent Extremism

• Published in: Journal of peacebuilding & development Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 114 - 121
• Main Authors: Zhou, Jiayi, Sullivan, Katherine A., Milante, Gary J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Routledge 01.08.2017; Sage Publications, Inc; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Ambition; development; Extremism; Peace; peacebuilding; Peacekeeping; POLICY DIALOGUE; SDGs; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Terrorism; Violence; violent extremism; violent extremism; development; peacebuilding; SDGs; terrorism; Peacebuilding; Terrorism; Violent Extremism
• DOI: 10.1080/15423166.2017.1326313
• ISSN: 1542-3166; 2165-7440

In 2015 the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations General Assembly [UNGA] 2015b), a very ambitious agenda, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets. Among them were goals and targets that directly touched upon peacebuilding, through the promotion of peaceful societies, the reduction of violence, and access to justice. As the SDGs were being adopted and nations began to implement them in 2016, the United Nations Secretary-General proposed the UN Plan of Action (PoA) to Prevent Violent Extremism with 48 recommendations for national actors in seven priority areas (UNGA 2015a). This briefing provides an overview of the overlapping elements of the two agendas for the development practitioner tasked with delivering the SDGs and the UN PoA. It concludes with political considerations for implementation, security and development overlaps, and the importance of monitoring reforms if development interventions are intended to contribute to peace and a reduction in violent extremism.