What we do
The Office of Counter-Terrorism provides UN Member States with the necessary policy support and spread in-depth knowledge of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and wherever necessary, expedite delivery of technical assistance across 4 pillars.
Strategic leadership
The Under-Secretary-General provides strategic leadership to United Nations counter-terrorism efforts, participates in the decision-making process of the United Nations and ensures that the cross-cutting origins and impact of terrorism are reflected in the work of the United Nations.
Coordination and coherence
To enhance coordination and coherence, the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, which is a coordination framework bringing together 46 UN entities, plus INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), was launched by the UN Secretary-General in December 2018. It operates through its Coordination Committee and 8 thematic Inter-Agency Working Groups, which were revitalized in April 2019, providing an All-of-UN approach to the systems work on counter-terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism, while respecting existing mandates.
Capacity building
The Office provides most of its technical assistance and capacity building support to Member States through the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and Special Projects and Innovation Branch (SPIB). Such assistance and support is provided at global, regional and national levels across all four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
UNCCT has implemented 80 projects since April 2012. UNCCT is currently implementing 40 capacity-building programmes and projects benefiting 71 Member States. From January to November 2019, UNOCT/ UNCCT trained more than 2100 individuals in 64 workshops and conducted 15 expert level meetings and 10 scoping/ technical missions. The capacity-building work focuses on countries and regions with most susceptible to the threat of terrorism, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.
Engaging parliamentarians
Through this Programme, UNOCT supports parliamentary action around the globe to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism building upon a “whole-of-society” approach. Our work is rooted in our common goal to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Civil society
Civil society makes unique and invaluable contributions to countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism. Through its its Civil Society Engagement Strategy, UNOCT seeks to strengthen and more systematically engage civil society organizations at the global, regional, national and local levels with a focus on human rights, gender, and youth.
Sports and security
UNOCT recognizes the growing contribution of sport and its culture to realize the goals of the United Nations. The goal of our sports programme is to promote sports and its values as an important tool to prevent radicalization and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
AROS Programme
The AROS Programme provides assistance to Member States in preventing and countering the terrorist uses of autonomous (UAS) and remotely operated systems including drones. The programme also helps national security officials integrate these systems into their national counter-terrorism efforts.
Terrorist travel
There is now a better chance to disrupt terrorist travel. Our Programme strengthens Member States’ ability to detect, track and counter the journeys of terrorists. It represents a critical enhancement of counter-terrorism coordination and coherence across the UN system.
Border security
Enhancing awareness and understanding of established ‘good practices’ stems the flow of foreign terrorist fighters across borders. Our Programme assists countries integrating such practices within their national strategies and action plans to counter terrorism and enhances the skills of border officers.
Cybersecurity
Cyber-capacities, artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicles continue to become more widely available. Our Cybersecurity and New Technologies Programme aims to enhance capacities of Member States to prevent and mitigating the misuse of such technological developments.
WMD/ CBRN terrorism
In the wrong hands, weapons of mass destruction and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials are a global threat. With our Programme, we aim to advance Member States’ threat level understanding and enhance their prevention and response mechanisms.
South-South cooperation
As terrorism has severely affected countries in the Global South, our project aims to strengthen their exchange of expertise. We plan to assist countries in building new partnerships enabling them to respond to their challenges in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism.
Human rights
As Member States take measures to combat terrorism and prevent and counter violent extremism, our Programme provides them with targeted support and assistance to ensure that all their efforts comply with international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.
Prison management
Further radicalizing incarcerated violent extremists poses a challenge for prison management. By improving safety, screening, disengagement processes and reintegration programs this project aims to stabilize prison environments and reduce chances of prisons becoming breeding grounds.
Youth engagement
Our goal is to ensure participation of young women and men in developing and delivering programmes and policies that aim to prevent and counter violent extremism. Our programme is aimed at strengthening youth resilience and supports the positive role of young people in their prevention efforts.
Countering terrorist financing
Terrorist financing continues to evolve as the terrorist threat intensifies. With this UNCCT programme, that focuses on financial intelligence sharing, we aim to assist Member States in effectively freezing suspicious assets through prioritization of counter-terrorist financing practices.
National PVE action plans
National action plans to prevent violent extremism are practical frameworks that address the drivers of violent extremism. The project aims to make prevention work by supporting Member States in the design, development and adoption of such “all-of-Government,” “All-of-Society" action plans.
Victims of terrorism
Through the UN Counter Terrorism Centre Victims of Terrorism Support Programme, the Centre advocates, provides policy advice, raises the voices of victims and builds Member State capacity to support Victims and their associations around the globe.
STRIVE Asia
The STRIVE Asia project mitigates the growing magnitude of the violent extremism threat posed by hate group Central, South and South East Asia. The UN and EU join forces to strengthen local authorities, legislative bodies and the private sector to prevent and counter violent extremism.