The rising of Violent Extremism is one of the concern challenges of the 21st century. There are many factors identified as a root cause of violent extremism and terrorism.
The road to extremism has largely three drivers:
- Ideology
- Economics
- Politics
Understanding these drivers to extremism is the first step to stopping its rise. The Global Terrorism Index report pointed out the flashpoint of victim countries, moreover, the report also convinced that the death toll from terrorism has fallen from the fifth consecutive year, the number of deaths decreased by 15.5% to 13,826. However, it remains a significant and serious problem in many countries. As the problem is global that must need a global solution or approach.
Some researchers believe the key factors that fuel violent extremism seem to be rooted in the perception of injustice and marginalization. A cross-country study of Colombia, Afghanistan, and Somalia, carried out by Mercy Corps (2015), found that early experience of abuse and humiliation was an important driver of joining groups, more so than economic factors.
Many extremist groups have their roots in identity-based politics and they mobilize support based on perceived grievances.
The 2016 Middle East North Africa Economic Monitor, published by the World Bank, analyzed a dataset of Daesh foreign fighter personnel and concluded that the average fighter from MENA (Middle East and North Africa region) is more educated than what is typical of their counterparts in their countries, and hence frustration over the failure to secure jobs commensurate with their education status could have played a role in radicalizing fighters.
This is a cause of concern because unemployment in many Arab countries seems to rise with the level of education, and many new graduates are only able to find low-paying jobs in the informal sector.
Moreover, many Arab countries have succeeded in increasing access to education, the quality of education remains a problem. This fact is true beyond MENA countries; the quality and relevance of education systems in many developing countries remain problematic.
Not only do many children not learn, but those who do are not equipped with the skills required in a 21st-century globalized economy!
There are also reports of ISIS (Daesh) expanding its operation in Pakistan through youth recruitment. According to a report by the Interior Ministry of Pakistan, ISIS recruited 40-50% Pakistani youth for their cause in Afghanistan. The report specifically mentioned that "the youngster are brainwashed and given training in Afghanistan." They are also paid between PKR 30,000 to 50,000 ($300 - $500) estd.
“Everyone's worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there's really an easy way: Stop participating in it.” - Noam Chomsky
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