Poverty is a blight and one that\ndisproportionately affects sub-Saharan Africa. It is a vast and complex issue\nwhose tentacles reach into many areas, including climate change, sustainable\ndevelopment and crucially \u2013 global security. The link between poverty and\nviolent extremism is compelling and this means that if we want to address\nextremism, we must fight inequality too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to UNDP, drivers, incentives and tipping point for recruitment presents compelling evidence that violent extremism can never be beaten if feelings of deprivation and marginalization, especially among the young, are not addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting with the “accident of\ngeography” that is a place of childhood, experiences related to living in\nhighly peripheral regions of Africa \u2013 often borderlands and traditionally\nmarginalized regions \u2013 begin to shape individuals’ world view and\nvulnerability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The critical factor\nof explaining childhood unhappiness that correlates with future extremism is\nperceived lack of parental involvement in the child\u2019s life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lack of employment, healthcare,\neducation, security, and housing has been and will remain the major cause of rampant\nextremism. Almost half of the youth joining the extremist organizations do it\nout of will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya, just as many other countries,\nhas acknowledged being a flashpoint for radicalization and violent extremism that\nare synonymous with extreme poverty, high illiteracy levels and\nunder-investment in basic services. The majority of those living in these\nregions have for years believed themselves to be excluded from the national\ndevelopment agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The findings drive home the reality\nthat a focus on security-led responses to extremism cannot provide lasting\nsolutions but rather confronting the challenges of radicalism and terrorist\nthreats, particularly in Africa, calls for action on a range of social,\ncultural, economic and political fronts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between 2011 and 2016, extremists\ncaused 33,000 deaths in Africa. This was followed by displacement and economic\ndevastation causing some of the worst humanitarian disasters on the continent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Numerous studies show that increasing\ninequality hinders economic growth and undermines social cohesion, increases\npolitical and social tensions and drives instability and conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Achin Steiner, the UNDP administrator\nonce stated, \u201cEradicating poverty and promoting inclusive prosperity\nin a changing world is of critical importance towards achieving the agenda of\nthe SDGs.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n