OSCE Co-ordinator of Transnational Threats stresses the importance of a victim-centered and human rights-compliant approach to counter terrorism

From 6 to 9 September, Ambassador Alena Kupchyna, the OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats (TNTD), and Fejzo Numanaj, the Acting Head of the TNTD Action against Terrorism Unit, participated in the United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism in New York.

During this visit, Ambassador Kupchyna delivered remarks on “Rehabilitation, Assistance and Support”, emphasizing the importance of strengthening our solidarity and common humanity around the victims of terrorism by placing respect for their dignity at the centre of our action.

“Civil society is a vital counterpart whose contribution helps build durable solidarity with Victims of Terrorism,” she said in her remarks. “The OSCE’s local community-oriented initiative – Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) – has led to the creation of civil society support networks at the community level which advocates for and campaign for the rights of victims.”

Ambassador Kupchyna also addressed the OSCE’s engagement in repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), as the families of FTFs returnees generally qualify as victims of terrorism.

At the margins of the Congress, the OSCE delegation held high-level meetings with various UN counterparts such as the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate’s (CTED) and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, where areas of further co-operation were discussed.

At the meeting with the Head of UNOCT, Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, both parties agreed that respect for human rights and the rule of law are essential cornerstones when addressing evolving and emerging threats in terrorism and the violent extremism landscape. During a meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, Dr. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the centrality of human rights in countering terrorism was further emphasized as well as the importance of facilitating mutual engagement in our respective awareness-raising activities with policy makers and practitioners. 

The OSCE delegation also had the opportunity to meet with UNOCT’s Director and Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General, Raffi Gregorian, covering the common agenda to work at a local level to prevent violent extremism, enhance the border management practices of participating States, and mainstream gender throughout work of the OSCE and UN.