AICHR consults stakeholders on the importance of emphasising human rights of victims in preventing and countering violent extremism

BALI, 12 June 2023 – The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened the Consultation on Victims-Oriented Protection to Prevent and Counter Radicalism and Violent Extremism in ASEAN on 9-10 June 2023 in Bali, Indonesia, in an in-person and hybrid format.

In her remarks, the Chair and Representative of Indonesia to AICHR, Ms Wahyuningrum underscored on the importance of human rights, rule of law and victim-centric approaches to be the basis of counter terrorism measures in ASEAN.

In addition, the Director of ASEAN Political-Security Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Mr Rolliansyah Soemirat highlighted on the need to strengthen a whole-society-approach prevention programme, which includes human rights as well as the involvement of civil society in both national strategies and regional work plans.

Joining the opening session, Mr. John Edgar, Director of USAID’s ASEAN Office emphasised on a multisectoral and inclusive approach, whereby women, youth, and other historically marginalized groups are meaningfully engaged in dialogue and decision-making roles, is a key to a successful measure to preventing and countering radicalism and violent extremism.

Ninety participants, representing AICHR, ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, witness and victims protection agencies in ASEAN Member States, National Human Rights Institutions, Civil Society Organisations, Victims’ Associations, and Universities, attended the two-day Consultation both in-person and online.

They shared experiences with good practices, lesson learnt, challenges, and ways forward around the issues related to the rights of victims of terrorism, the development and the implementation of victim-centric approaches to counter violent extremism, access to justice for victims of terrorism, the role of victims’ association and community policing approaches in preventing violent extremism.

Participants also come up with recommendations to effectively involving victims and their associations in preventing and countering violent extremism measures, among others, by:

• Centralising the pivotal role of victims as stakeholders in the peace and security matrix and involving victims in a bottom-up approach, including informing the victims in every step of the intervention.
• Establishing and further strengthening a gender-sensitive, long-term, sustainable and victims-oriented reparation programme to prevent and counter violent extremism and exploring different approaches when it comes to rehabilitating children exposed to terrorism activities, such as to extend reintegrating program to families.
• Encouraging multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approach collaboration to counter violent extremism.
• Building the capacity of social workers with the purpose of increasing their skills and equip them with the adequate knowledge on victims-oriented protection approaches.
• Developing counter radicalisation programmes focusing on the community at large, as well as vulnerable communities, by addressing the process of radicalisation, strengthening community policing approaches and working with religious leaders and religious organisations to promote moderation and tolerance.
• Encourage public private partnerships with business and tech firms to prevent misuse of the internet and social media by violent extremists.

The Consultation is the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action to Prevent and Counter the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism (2019-2025) or Bali Work Plan and the AICHR Five-Year Work Plan 2021-2025.

This activity is jointly organised by AICHR Indonesia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia with the support from the ASEAN-USAID Partnership for Regional Optimization within the Political-Security and Socio-Cultural Communities (PROSPECT) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

###