Press Release: GCERF and local civil society partners celebrate International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism, promoting important work at community level

Geneva, 12 February 2025 – 12 February acts as a reminder to governments and civil society organisations to continue their efforts in building resilience and investing in the prevention of violent extremism. The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), the only global fund to prevent violent extremism, remains committed to channeling governmental contributions to grassroots local organisations that implement community-centred initiatives to tackle the local and global drivers of radicalisation.

This year’s celebration is twofold, as GCERF recently celebrated a decade of investment in building community resilience against radicalisation and recruitment, reaching around 400 civil society partners and almost 4 million individuals directly at risk of radicalisation. Over the past ten years, GCERF-supported programmes have created safe spaces for dialogue and conflict resolution, provided economic and social alternatives to joining violent extremist groups and strengthened the knowledge and skills of frontline workers to implement effective national strategies for preventing violent extremism.

“Trust is essential to ensure the impact and sustainability of prevention efforts. GCERF partners with trusted grassroots organisations, 87% of which have never received international funding before. These partnerships strengthen the credibility and sustainability of the programmes.”  says GCERF Executive Director, Dr Khalid Koser.

An example of sustainability of prevention programmes is undoubtedly Bangladesh, the first country that has recently transitioned away from GCERF funding. GCERF supported the government’s whole-of-society approach to preventing violent extremism for nine years, contributing to Bangladesh’s exit from the top 30 countries in the Global Terrorism Index. Today, the youth peace groups established with GCERF funding remain active and deeply rooted in their communities, leading diverse initiatives that counter extremist ideologies, and promote lasting peace and inter-religious dialogue. 

While this milestone cannot go unnoticed, the need for local community engagement remains greater than ever, particularly in light of a global environment that is more conducive to violent extremism than at any time since the Arab Spring. In this context, we expand our impact to three new countries that have invited GCERF to operate within their territories, namely Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 

Finally, regardless of the country in which we operate, let us remember that our prevention mission would not be possible without the hundreds of civil society partners we support, the thousands of individual trainers, religious leaders, youth advocates, mentors and local government staff who implement grant-funded programmes, and the millions of participants in 25 countries who strive to tip the balance for a more peaceful world. On International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism, GCERF pays tribute to its civil society partners and supporters around the world.

ENDS

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, GCERF is a global fund that provides grants to support community-led initiatives in countries where the risk of violent extremism is high. GCERF supports civil society partners in 25 countries around the world. To date, GCERF-supported projects have reached about 4 million people directly at risk of radicalisation and recruitment, at an average cost of just USD 40 per person. 

To learn more about the work GCERF, please visit:

GCERF Media Contact: 
media@gcerf.org