Community-driven initiatives in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria
Nine Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) across West Africa have joined forces with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) to strengthen community resilience to the interlinkages between terrorism and criminal activities in the region.
This collaboration follows UNICRI’s “Call for Proposals to Strengthen Resilience Against Crime and Terrorism in Africa”, which aimed to identify and empower local actors capable of driving community level prevention, protection, and resilience-building efforts.
Addressing an evolving threat
Violent extremist actors increasingly benefit from a wide range of criminal activities, including trafficking in arms, people, drugs, cultural property, and natural resources, as well as the exploitation of businesses, non-profits organizations, and criminal profits derived from crimes such as kidnapping for ransom. Africa, particularly the Sahel and Great Lakes regions, is heavily impacted by the nexus between terrorism and organized crime which undermines peace, security and development.
As part of a broader initiative to counter this nexus, and thanks to the funding of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), UNICRI is implementing a comprehensive project combining research, capacity-building, targeted awareness raising activities, and specialized training for justice and security actors. A central pillar of UNICRI’s work is the engagement of civil society, widely recognized as essential for fostering sustained, locally grounded, and community-led resilience efforts.
Nine CSOs selected to lead community resilience efforts
Following a competitive selection process, UNICRI is partnering with the following organizations (in alphabetical order):
Over the coming year, these organizations will roll out a diverse range of community driven initiatives in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen local resilience to crime and terrorism. These efforts will include awareness activities aimed at helping communities better understand the risks and drivers of criminal and terrorist influence, alongside youth focused programmes providing climate resilient vocational training, entrepreneurship opportunities, and life skills development to create safer and more sustainable pathways for young people.
CSOs will also establish community dialogue platforms designed to foster trust and cooperation between community members, local authorities, and security actors, while offering tailored support to survivors and at risk groups through socio economic reintegration initiatives. Working in close cooperation with community leaders, religious representatives, women’s associations, and traditional authorities, the organizations will co design local action plans reflecting shared priorities and lived realities.
These actions reflect the diversity and richness of local expertise and approaches mobilized by the partner organizations. Each initiative is tailored to the specific needs, risks, and socio-cultural dynamics of the communities they serve. All these activities aim to address vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminal and violent extremist groups.
UNICRI recognizes that sustainable solutions to crime and terrorism must be grounded in local ownership and participation. Civil society actors, deeply embedded in their communities and trusted by local populations, are uniquely positioned to identify risks, mobilize stakeholders, and drive preventive action. Through this collaboration, UNICRI reaffirms its commitment to placing communities at the center of prevention and response efforts and to strengthening long-term resilience across West Africa.
