PVE Pillars

 
The strategic pillars focus on the Lebanese government's primary responsibility for preventing violent extremism in order to prevent the existence of an environment conducive to the development of such extremism. The government does this by virtue of its function as a guarantor of social peace and stability, as well as in affirming the principles of the culture of the national state; promoting citizenship and the values of the national belonging of all the Lebanese; ensuring that the requirements for equitable and sustainable development are met; and that public and individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the law are respected. In this context, the conceptual papers presented by all ministries emphasized their inherent role in preventing violent extremism, and the need to develop new programs to accomplish this goal in addition to maintaining existing programs. The papers also stressed the need for continuous coordination among ministries in implementing this strategy due to the intersecting roles and functions and the need to consult with the non-governmental economic, social, and cultural organizations in setting, implementing, and evaluating the strategy. The papers submitted by the ministries emphasized the vital role that the international community—organizations and donor countries—should play in supporting the Government of Lebanon in the implementation of this Strategy, including technical support, transfer of international expertise, and capacity building of national institutions and their staff.

The strategy’s pillars are as follows:
 


 
Pillar 1
Dialogue and Conflict Prevention


The pillar of Dialogue and Conflict Prevention is central to the implementation of the Strategy for Preventing Violent Extremism. Dialogue is indeed both a goal and a means: it is a goal since it establishes the values of pluralism, acceptance of others and reliance on peaceful means to resolve problems. It is also a means used by civilized democratic societies to deal with their social components. This is linked to the fact that the greater the space of dialogue among individuals and groups, the less likely that conflicts will erupt. Therefore, Dialogue and Conflict Prevention should be seen not only as a stand-alone category, but rather as one in which all the following areas intersect.


 
Pillar 2
The Promotion of Good Governance


  1. Develop the institutional capacities of the state agencies and their coordination mechanisms.
  2. Build the capacities of technical and administrative staff of state and social institutions.
  3. Affirm the values and practices of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption.
  4. Rely on research institutions and the findings of scientific research, especially in the field of early warning signals.
 
 


 
Pillar 3
Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law


  1. Enforcing the constitution and the law equitably without discrimination.
  2. Respecting human rights as stipulated in international conventions and the Lebanese constitution and following up on their implementation.
  3. Adopting balanced, fair and sustainable public policies.
  4. Empowering disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
  5. Improving the environment of prisons and rehabilitating prisoners to facilitate their integration into society.


 
Pillar 4
Urban/Rural Development and Engaging Local Communities


  1. Develop balanced, equitable and sustainable development, economic and financial policies at the national and local levels.
  2. Consider the developmental balance between regions.
  3. Develop community participation in local development programs.
  4. Develop national industries and local handicrafts.
  5. Monitor urban transformations and predict their effects and implications.
 
 


 
Pillar 5
Gender Equality and Empowering Women


  1. Raise women's awareness on their constitutional and legal rights and on the risks of violent extremism at the individual and family levels.
  2. Amend legislation relating to women so as to achieve justice and eliminate all forms of discrimination against them.
  3. Encourage women's participation in social, cultural and development activities.
  4. Encourage women's participation in decision-making and policy-making processes.


 
Pillar 6
Education, Training and Skills Development


  1. Develop educational curricula at all levels to protect youth from the risks of violent extremism and spread awareness among those involved in the educational process.
  2. Develop creative and intellectual skills among young people.
  3. Develop training programs to make young people more responsive to market needs and job opportunities.
 
 


 
Pillar 7
Economic Development and Job Creation


  1. Develop fiscal, tax and industrial policies that stimulate sustainable economic development, achieve developmental justice and create more job opportunities.
  2. Address all forms of economic inequality and poverty through economic and financial development policies and plans, especially marginalized and disadvantaged groups and regions.
  3. Encourage innovation, creativity and capacity building, especially among young people and women, enabling them to participate in the labor market.
  4. Develop an encouraging economic environment for entrepreneurship at national and local levels in partnership with private and civil sectors.


 
Pillar 8
Strategic Communications, Informatics and Social Media


  1. Use all state, private and civil institutions as partners for raising awareness against the risks of violent extremism.
  2. Use the Internet to increase the public’s awareness about the values of moderation, social diversity, tolerance, the risks of violent extremism and the dissemination of the values of critical and creativity thinking.
  3. Use all traditional and modern means of communication to support the culture of the state and highlight the role of its institutions, especially the army and the security forces, in the fight against violent extremism.
  4. Prevent the use of the Internet as a platform for promoting ideas relating to violent extremism.
 
 


 
Pillar 9
Empowering Youth


  1. Introduce the public to the efforts made by the State to empower young people and the opportunities available to intensify and strengthen these efforts.
  2. Involve young people in the decision-making process at all levels so that they may fulfill themselves, allowing society to benefit from their views.
  3. Strengthen the personal capacities of young people so as to facilitate their integration into society and the labor market.