The idea of countering violent extremism is often unfamiliar to people, and the term is interpreted differently across countries and contexts. In the communities affected by such conflicts, efforts to counter extremism can also be perceived as something foreign and imposed by those outside. In this conversation, FHI 360’s Robin Nelson, Senior Program Manager and Media Specialist in Civil Society and Peacebuilding, and Anne Salinas, Director of Peacebuilding and Conflict Mitigation, offer their definition of countering violent extremism, discuss the many drivers of extremism and explain considerations to keep in mind when seeking to understand and mitigate those drivers.

Violent extremism affects individuals, families and entire communities. There is no one-size-fits-all approach or intervention to address it, as violent extremism itself is constantly evolving. Unless the development community understands the local drivers of such extremism, efforts to fight it cannot be effective. FHI 360 was an early implementer of programming in this area, and our experts share the three factors that make our approach unique and successful.

Read more about our work in countering violent extremism.

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