Preventing Violent Extremism Through Education

Abstract

Violent extremism has become a serious threat facing societies across the world. It affects the security, well-being and dignity of many individuals living in both developed and developing countries, as well as their peaceful and sustainable ways of life. It also poses grave challenges to human rights. To date, the challenges presented by violent extremism have been evaluated primarily through military and security lenses. From 2001 to 2017, the United States government alone will have spent approximately US$1.78 trillion to fight terrorism. The European Union’s spending is estimated to have increased from €5.7 million in 2002 to €93.5 million in 2009. Governments are increasingly aware that allocating funds to reinforce security measures is insufficient to protect everyone from terrorist attacks perpetrated by violent extremist individuals. Efforts to prevent violent extremism must be considered within a holistic framework.