OSCE concludes training course for public council members in Tajikistan on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism

A three-day capacity-building course on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) took place in the town of Guliston from 2 to 4 May 2019. The training course served as the final phase of equipping public council members with relevant knowledge and skills to address and integrate aspects of preventing and countering VERLT into community policing efforts.

The course brought together 20 members of Regional Public Councils on Police Reform, more than half of them women. It was aimed at consolidating the theoretical knowledge that the public council members gained during the basic courses held in February and March 2019. The trainees learned how to develop communication strategies in the context of preventing and countering VERLT and discussed the national legal framework and practice. Promoting gender mainstreaming and mobilizing youth to tackle VERLT-related challenges were also part of the training.

Navruz Odinaev, a member of the Public Council operating at the Interior Ministry Headquarters said: “This advanced course will enable me to devise concrete projects on preventing and countering VERLT by identifying and managing respective risks, integrating gender mainstreaming, as well as by engaging young people in different initiatives.” 

Farosatmoh Gayurova, a member of the Khorog Public Council on Police Reform, said that she wants to apply her knowledge in preventing violent extremism and terrorist radicalization among young people and women.

During the course, the public council members developed various initiatives targeted at addressing and eradicating the root causes of VERLT at grassroots level. The initiatives are intended for integration into the annual action plans of Public Councils and practical implementation, subject to consent by the senior management of Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry.

Public Councils on Police Reform are advisory bodies to the Interior Ministry that function at the regional level, and are comprised of civil society activists. They help to develop and strengthen links between citizens and police by promoting community policing.