COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM (CVE)

Addressing Violent Extremism (CVE) has become a crucial component in our rapidly evolving world. Consequently, KFP is committed to embedding CVE best practices into all its initiatives. The organization believes that providing education, particularly for girls and disadvantaged groups, is vital for fostering peace in Borno. An educated and resilient population is less prone to engage in extremist behavior. Thus, KFP is focused on strengthening the connections between peace-building efforts and CVE strategies. Additionally, KFP aims to alleviate conflict in the northeast by promoting religious tolerance, entrepreneurship, and education for girls.

Although our CVE goals initially emerged from a security and defense perspective, the expanding nature of CVE initiatives increasingly intersects with peace-building efforts. The global community recognizes the undeniable link between these two areas. While CVE primarily aims to enhance resilience among populations susceptible to radicalization, peace-building efforts encompass a broader framework of conflict prevention, which also aligns with CVE objectives. This is particularly relevant in northern Nigeria, where violent extremism often acts as both a catalyst for conflict and an obstacle to achieving lasting peace.

Initially rooted in the realms of security and defense, our goals surrounding countering violent extremism (CVE) are now expanding into the domain of peacebuilding, with the international community recognizing the undeniable link between these two areas. CVE aims to enhance resilience in communities at risk of radicalization, while peacebuilding—addressing conflict prevention—also incorporates elements of CVE, as violent extremism often acts as a catalyst for conflict and a barrier to achieving lasting peace, particularly in northern Nigeria. The security-focused aspects of CVE lay the groundwork for effective peacebuilding, which is crucial for strengthening civil society.

Currently, KFP is proactively collaborating with local stakeholders in Borno to foster a sense of collective ownership over the peacebuilding initiative, encouraging community-wide participation in conflict mitigation efforts within the state. KFP emphasizes initiatives that bolster the resilience and capabilities of civil society, serving as the intersection where peacebuilding and CVE converge. We firmly believe that our experiences in peacebuilding enhance our CVE initiatives, as these practices deepen our understanding of violent extremism, its localized drivers, and enable us to formulate tailored, sustainable strategies for countering it.