Maldives: Strengthening national framework on preventing violent extremism

Male, Maldives/30 January 2025: “It is no secret that extremist ideologies prey on existing social grievances. Therefore, the question we need to ask is who is best situated to intervene and address these challenges? The answer is very simple: everyone.”

This thought from Major General (Ret.) Wais Waheed, Director-General, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) of the Maldives, captures the essence of a growing global realization—countering violent extremism is not just a security issue but a community-wide effort.

Building trust between law enforcement and communities is essential in preventing violent extremism. When local leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs), and security forces work together, they can identify early warning signs, address grievances before they escalate, and ensure that responses are inclusive and effective.

Recognizing this, the Government of Maldives has taken a crucial step in fostering collaboration between national stakeholders through the Maldives’ National Action Plan (NAP) on prevention of violent extremism (PVE).

In this context, UNODC and the Maldives’ National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) trained 40 participants--including 17 women--on the role and empowerment of government officials, law enforcement, civil society stakeholders and local community leaders in implementing a multidisciplinary PVE framework. Supported by the Government of Japan, the training built on the outcomes of a 2024 national workshop on enhancing community resilience to violent extremism.

The discussions centered on ways to strengthen communities’ resilience through early warning and early response mechanisms, while promoting age and gender-sensitive community-led preventive approach. Participants also identified priorities and concrete steps to operationalize the NAP through the theory of change approach. A key outcome was the strengthening of trust-based partnerships between law enforcement agencies, CSOs, and local community leaders, through open dialogue and sharing of good practices.

Moving forward, continued engagement between government authorities, law enforcement, and local actors will be crucial in translating policy into action, reinforcing resilience against extremist threats. By investing in partnerships and trust-building, the Maldives is shaping a more effective and community-driven approach to PVE—one that recognizes security is strongest when everyone is part of the solution.

This activity contributed to SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/

(Supported by the Government of Japan)

This article is first published at UNODC website on Maldives: Strengthening national framework on preventing violent extremism

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