Children in Detention: Forgotten Bombs or Innocence Behind Bars? A generation distorted by extremists and destroyed by society

It has been three years since the end of the war against the so-called Islamic State (IS) and the liberation of the cities they controlled. You can see the children everywhere. IS fighters' sons and daughters, or IS's children; the terrorist organization left behind its most vulnerable and most fragile members, supporters, and sympathizers to face society and authority, and the cruelty of the stigma attached to them as terrorists and children of terrorists. Iraqi authorities' facts suggest that IS has recruited up to four thousand children in Iraq, and the number may be similar in Syria, not to mention the children and wives of foreign fighters held in camps and detention facilities in both Syria and Iraq.

There are many questions that we should address and search for their answers. What is the fate of this generation that grew up in an extremist and violent environment? How can they rebuild their lives in these war-ravaged countries that are still suffering from social, economic, and political instability? Will society give those children a chance at all?

At its peak, IS controlled 282,485 km2 of land, the majority of which was in Syria and Iraq, and today, tens of thousands of their children remain on the outskirts of destroyed cities and detention camps, while authorities refuse to issue them new identification papers, without which they do not exist legally, and they cannot enjoy their right to adequate living for the health and well-being of themselves and their families, including food, clothing, and housing, etc. More importantly, their right to education and to live with dignity. This will lead me to another topic that I may talk about at another time, which is the dialectic of education in times of conflict and fragility: What if the solution to the most complex human issues lies in the mind of a child who has been deprived of his right to education because of wars and conflicts, or because of disability and the inability of the state and society to find a comprehensive and sustainable solution for him?

The issue of foreign terrorist fighters, IS veterans, and other terrorist groups remains a major source of concern for many states, with the most serious threat represented in the human legacy left by IS, which is located mainly in the detention camps in Syria as well as in various cities in both Syria and Iraq, where the number of people in these camps and facilities is estimated to be more than 120,000 people, including more than 30,000 children. While the efforts made to address their situation are still completely incompatible with the level of risk posed by this issue, the Security Council has confirmed in several reports, and many analysts have also indicated that the failure to address the issue of these individuals—the majority of whom are women and children—will exacerbate the situation in the medium and long term. Staying in these camps and facilities under harsh conditions, surrounded by huge influences that feed extremism, may cause them, especially children, to become strong and trained extremists, which will increase the size of the threat posed by the former fighters and these marginalized groups over the coming years and decades.

The al-Hawl refugee camp in northeastern Syria is a clear example of the situation in camps and detention facilities and the violence these sites are witnessing, in addition to the severe lack of basic services. According to the camp administration, the camp witnessed 128 killings in 2021, most of whom were Iraqi refugees and displaced Syrians, who were killed with firearms and knives, were beheaded or were suffocated to death. The number includes 3 children and 19 women. There were also 41 attempted killings that resulted in injuries to the victims, as well as 13 cases of deliberate burning. The camp is much more dangerous than the prisons in which IS members are detained due to the spread of extremist ideology inside it and the difficulty of controlling and securing the camp due to its wide area and the vast desert surrounding it, where about 65,000 people live; more than half of whom are under the age of 18, the majority of them are Syrians and Iraqis, it also includes a section for foreign "immigrant\Mohajerat" women and their children, hailing from about 57 Western and Arab countries, numbering about 10,000 women and children. While repatriation is difficult as many of them are considered a potential threat; some governments may not have plans to take people back, and some have lacked the political will to repatriate their nationals from Syria in fear of bringing radicalized individuals into the country, these people remain subject to an unknown fate and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. A dilemma that has not yet been resolved, and approaches that still indicate a lack of real intention to recognize these people, especially the most vulnerable women and children.

From the counter-terrorism perspective, these threats are contained in the short term; the security method is feasible and effective as the goal of the intervention is to monitor, track, identify, neutralize terrorists, or dry up financial resources. But in the long run, the fight against terrorism will only cause more extremism and violence, and it faces a number of criticisms, the most prominent of which is the potential (in many cases, very real) violation of civil liberties, such as freedom of expression, in addition to the securitization of Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism (C/PVE) through specific targeting/profiling of a specific group. It ignores the deep-rooted infrastructural factors that drive violent extremism, such as corruption, discriminatory governance, lack of a national vision, lack of policies to guarantee basic collective and individual freedoms, and censorship of the media, not to mention the individual backgrounds and motivations, collective grievances, victimization, and criminalization, among others. By following this approach, those individuals will represent a potential threat in the medium and long term. Either we can address this threat proactively and preventively, or we will continue to treat them and see them through a pure security lens. The effectiveness of the programs to address this issue now will determine the extent to which it appears as a huge factor in the global security landscape in the future.

What is required to handle this issue is a human-rights-based strategy targeted at deracializing and rehabilitation individuals and groups at risk or already involved in terrorist movements or organizations. and to start by taking steps to establish custom facilities for deradicalization and rehabilitation, assessing and classifying individuals within these facilities based on the perceived 'extremism' and the extent of the danger they may pose to themselves and/or others, and most importantly, assessing their various human needs. These individual assessments are necessary to ensure that measures are taken to reduce risks and respond to individuals' needs in a way that enables them to eventually reintegrate into society. Based on these risk and needs assessments, we can tailor deradicalization programmes that can include dialogue and participation in religious and ideological debates with detainees, providing psychotherapy services, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation activities. Deradicalization activities should be also accompanied by other programs concerned with development, especially education, job creation, and integration; community participation activities, especially with youth, that are aimed at strengthening social cohesion, promoting collectivist culture and dialogue, and providing livelihood opportunities; and promoting the capacity of governments to provide services, ensuring the rule of law and respect for human rights.

 Children who are recruited and exploited by terrorist and violent extremist groups require special care and assistance in order to successfully reintegrate into society and become productive members. These children have been subjected to extreme violence, significant social isolation and rejection, and they endure significant stigma within the community. Because of these children's varying personal situations as well as their various environments, establishing effective deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration programmes is a difficult task that necessitates the commitment and cooperation of a number of organizations and actors. The broader public and local communities are stakeholders and partners in preventing and countering violent extremism, and engaging youth, women, and community leaders are critical to enhancing the effectiveness of C/PVE activities. Actors should also include educators, researchers, the IT sector, social media, and journalists. Through this approach, we can create space for constructive engagement between the state and citizens, enhance trust and understanding, and expand community ownership of PVE policies and strategies. This is a long-term strategy that will allow us to identify the underlying causes and drivers of violence and treat them through developmental interventions. Development can help communities build resilience to VE and governments respond more effectively to the local demands. Local community ownership is essential, as is the strengthening of the social compact between the state and its residents, the creation of inclusive governance and decision-making, and the development of leadership at both the community and government levels.

It is also essential to take into account conflict sensitivity when planning C/PVE programmes. It's an important part of the core Do No Harm principle, as it is the cornerstone of understanding how the intervention and the range of resources it brings with it can affect the targeted population and broader society and allows us to think about how to minimize negative impacts and maximize opportunities for good. Furthermore, it helps build an in-depth understanding of the context, highlights the different types of violence and conflict and the dynamics that exist between individuals and groups, and helps prioritize approaches based on needs on the ground. The sensitive and political nature of PVE programming is that the very existence of a C/PVE program can increase and create tensions within a community, some programmes try to circumvent this by rebranding their program as something other than C/PVE, for example, livelihood creation, leadership skills, or interfaith dialogue, while this provides a way to manage risks related to program perceptions and stigmatization of those involved in the program, it presents an ethical dilemma around the underlying principle of transparency. Not only does this raise the question of whether it is appropriate and fair, but it also threatens the trust that is built with communities and makes data collection and measurement more difficult. Therefore, agreeing and adapting the content and language of communications based on community understanding and use of terms they accept and agree on its definition is extremely important and essential before and during program implementation. Communities may express sensitivity to the issue of violent extremism, and as such, it is critical to adopt a participatory, inclusive, and responsive approach in developing the design and content of programme activities.

It is equally critical that C/PVE programming consider gender sensitivity in its design; gender is not just about women. However, we see C/PVE programming primarily focusing on women’s role and participation, while gender should be seen as a framework for analysis that includes all: women and girls, men and boys, considering how men, women, boys, girls, and individuals with other identities experience life differently depending on factors such as age, socioeconomic status, life experience, disability, or educational attainment. Gender expectations also play a significant role in why some women and men choose to bear arms while others do not.

People face different levels of vulnerability, ranging from exposure to physical, sexual and gender-based violence, including sexual torture, sexual exploitation and abuse, early and forced marriage, and sometimes a shift in gender roles, as women can suffer from having to take on multiple roles in the family and the public sphere when male family members are pressured, killed, imprisoned, or have their movement restricted. Men and boys can also be vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence, and this risk increases during confinement, arrest, or detention. People of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity are at increased risk of experiencing physical and sexual violence, assault, harassment, and extortion. Therefore, our understanding and consideration of gender sensitivity in its comprehensive sense is necessary to ensure that programmes are effective and do not cause further harm.

In light of the above, what we should do is undertake an intensive multi-sectoral and actor approach to address the potential threat emerging from these harsh environments, standing shoulder to shoulder with the most vulnerable and focusing on meeting the comprehensive needs of individuals. Providing short-term intervention often results in individuals returning to the same negative coping mechanisms and radical ideas and possibly re-engaging in violence, therefore, the focus should be on improving the living conditions of the Persons of Concern (PoCs) and supporting them in moving from a state of vulnerability to a scenario in which they have more prospects and ability to achieve sustainable improvement in their life. The multi-year intervention period facilitates the relationship with the PoCs in order to build their resilience to overcome obstacles and limitations. The social protection/multi-actor approach is tailored to specific needs; areas of focus include access to education and health care, individual's psychosocial well-being, livelihood, and legal status. These five core areas constitute the main components of a case management approach while focusing on gaining a better understanding of the underlying drivers of violent extremism, addressing those drivers through various tools, and securing the basic needs of PoCs.

The immediate objective of this approach is to build resilience and reduce the threat of violent extremism, particularly among children, youth, and vulnerable marginalized groups, to ensure sustainable stability. This approach proposes a range of interventions aimed at supporting access to basic needs and creating livelihoods for youth and women while strengthening social cohesion to deradicalize and rehabilitate individuals to be part of the community. This integrated approach will support national efforts in comprehensively addressing violent extremism and radicalization and enhance social resilience in society. The approach aims to mitigate the most pressing needs while at the same time identifying and addressing the underlying causes of their vulnerability by developing tailored plans to help them emerge from a state of fragility to a situation where their needs are better met, they are less dependent on humanitarian or development aid, and they return to society as active individuals and their children have the opportunity to build a better future for themselves.

However, time is of the essence. Therefore, the return of children, in particular, should be a priority for countries that have a special interest in preserving their national security. Returning children to safer countries prevents further extremism. Also, in light of the risks posed to refugees in refugee and detention camps, increased humanitarian assistance is vital to address the living conditions there, and I will continue to advocate for genuinely holistic efforts that are carried out with passion to assist societies to end violence and reduce whatever stands withinside the way of growth and prosperity so that they can dedicate their energy to development, innovation and serving humanity; and asking again: what if the solution to the most complex human issues lies in the mind of a child who has been deprived of his right to education because of wars and conflicts, or because of disability and the inability of the state and society to find a comprehensive and sustainable solution for him?

#save_the_childhood #foreign_terrorist_fighters #PVE #CVE #counter_terrorism