Bangladesh Sustainability Summit

At Bangladesh Sustainability Summit GCERF Marks First Country to Graduate from International Support for Initiatives to Prevent Violent Extremism

21 May 2024: Today at a high-level Sustainability Summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh, representatives of the Global Community Engagement Fund (GCERF), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and grantee organisations Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and Rupantar jointly marked the transition of funded programmes to a self-sustaining model going forwards, for activities to prevent violent extremism.

“To end violent extremism, this scenario where GCERF can support civil society partners to put long-term, sustainable prevention solutions in place is what we hope to see much more broadly,” said Dr Khalid Koser, speaking to partners at the Sustainability Summit. “It’s incredibly inspiring to see how youth in particular have come together here, and are committed to making their communities more tolerant, resilient, and shielded against extremist efforts.”

The event, which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concludes a funding partnership of more than eight years. It is also the first instance of a country transitioning away from grant support by GCERF, a milestone reached as the international fund approaches the end of its first decade since it was launched in 2014.

“Projects implemented by the civil society partners in Bangladesh have achieved a great deal over three rounds of grant funding,” said Basile Ema Ebede, GCERF Country Manager for Bangladesh. “Through funding to 39 local sub-recipient organisations overseen by YPSA and Rupantar, more than 1.4 million people have been reached. What’s more, these projects really illustrate a whole of society approach: women, youth, educators, legal professionals, faith communities; all of these groups have been involved.”

Tangibly, the projects have engaged with more than 16000 religious and community leaders, enlisting their support as respected leaders to counter extremist narratives and build critical thinking within their communities.

In addition, international funding channeled by GCERF has supported the creation of 264 local PVE Youth Peace Groups and Youth Forums, engaging more than 5000 members. Today, many Youth Groups and Forums have become embedded in communities and empowered to take on more diverse activities, (health messaging and pandemic preparedness for example) beyond their core activities to counter extremist ideologies.

Importantly, a significant proportion of the youth groups created have been officially registered with Government bodies, and still more registrations are in process, a status which will serve as a springboard for them to continue their activities and fundraise for themselves, by managing donations and accounts as official entities. Bangladesh was among the first countries to partner with GCERF, which now invests in 22 countries where the vulnerability to violent extremism is high, across Africa, Asia and the Western Balkans.

During the Sustainability Summit, GCERF Representatives praised the Government of Bangladesh for its strong support to the partnership, and for their achievements in preventing violent extremism since 2016.

At that time, the threat of violent extremism in Bangladesh crystallized in the form of a deadly Islamist attack on the Holey Artesan Bakery. Since then, a Government-led whole of society approach supported by GCERF and other international partners has reduced the threat, with Bangladesh now outside the list of top-30 countries as ranked by the Global Terrorism Index (32). Bangladesh is also slated to graduate from the list of nations ranked as Least Developed Countries, as of 2026.

ENDS

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, GCERF is a global fund making grants to support community-led projects in countries where the risk of violent extremism is high. GCERF supports more than 358 civil society partners around the world with grants of an initial duration of three years. Projects supported by GCERF aim to reach vulnerable individuals and communities, equipping them to be better able to counter violent extremist rhetoric and efforts to recruit new members.

The new grants will build in features to ensure continuity beyond the period where the countries receive GCERF funding. Long-term sustainability of community-led initiatives is a key feature of all GCERF grants. To date, projects supported by GCERF have reached more than three million people directly at risk of radicalisation and recruitment, at an average cost of only USD 38 per person.

To learn more about GCERF please visit: www.gcerf.org

Media contacts

For GCERF:
Rosie Vanek/ r.vanek@gcerf.org
Sai Konda/ s.konda@gcerf.org