Libya
Profession She provides CVE training to women and youth.	Commitment Hajer has long advocated for women’s political participation the empowerment of women and youth at the grassroots level. She has called on Libyans to implement UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women peace and security, and include women in peace negotiations, security sector reform and conflict prevention.
Organisation TWBI Hajer Sharief co-founded 'Together We Build it' when she was 19. Since September 2011 it has worked on the democratic transition in Libya, emphasising women and youth participation in peacebuilding.

Human
rights

Upholding human rights is not

merely compatible with a successful

counter-terrorism strategy.

It is an essential element of it.

Kofi Annan, Madrid, 2005

Young people and human rights

Young people should be familiar with human rights instruments because these can be used to protect and defend people at risk, and their norms challenge the logic of violent extremist narratives. UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security recognises the role of youth in countering violent extremism. It declares that young people are entitled to participate in peace and security discussions in their countries.

Indeed, young people are often better placed than adults to prevent radicalisation, and mediate between those who are radicalised and the larger community, because they know young people and can identify those at risk, understand why some young people join violent groups, and can influence both their elders and those who radicalise. Extremism is attractive to millennials because it offers a simple, value-based narrative that appears to answer their concerns about the world. While counter arguments may unpick that narrative, the best way to challenge extremism is to present more powerful and attractive values.

Take action

Youth-led organisations and networks have encouraged young people to respect human rights. They have used new online and offline methodologies to increase public awareness of human rights. They have monitored the implementation of human rights in their communities, ensuring that institutions are accountable and that marginalised young people do not suffer discrimination or abuse. They have promoted inter-generational dialogue and partnerships based on human rights principles of justice and equity.

Extremism is attractive to millennials because it offers a simple, value-based narrative that appears to answer their concerns about the world. While counter arguments may unpick that narrative, the best way to challenge extremism is to present more powerful and attractive values. Hajer Sharief shares educational materials with members of her community.

We say

It is up to our generation to rally behind human rights, popularise them through our peer-to-peer networks, and respect them when we oppose violent extremist language and conduct.

All CVE approaches ought to be un-derpinned by human rights. Violent extremists often seek to deprive others of rights. By adopting a values-based approach to CVE, we set moral standards, apply them to ourselves, and reduce the likelihood that we
will do harm unintentionally.

When women’s rights advocates argue that women should participate in peace building and CVE, critics say: “But women don’t know anything about security issues”. Or perhaps: “if men can’t solve the problem then including women won’t change anything”. So women and young girls are excluded.

However, a project of Together We Build in Libya recently proved them wrong. Called Peace and Security from Libyan women’s perspective, it reached out to women and young girls in conservative local communities whose voices and security concerns are not often heard. Its online quiz created a safe space in which women could share their concerns and personal stories.

In less than three days, more than 1,000 women took the quiz. The women, from different age groups and backgrounds, said what security means to them, described their security priorities, and identified early symptoms of violent extremism in their communities. This was invaluable information for security stakeholders in Libya.

Libya

Profession

Commitment

Organisation

Humanrights

Young people and human rights

Take action

We say

Meet our young leaders and learn more about their projects

Human
rights

Meet our young leaders and
learn more about their projects