UN to Survivors, Victims of Terrorism: ‘You are Not Alone’

The lawsuit included keynote speeches, an interactive league led by salient victims’ advocates and a premiere screening of the movie "Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Connections”.

It comes arsenic the satellite prepares to people 20 years since terrorists attacked New York and Washington, DC – murdering 3,000 radical and leaving countless others injured oregon sick amid the debris – and arsenic eyes crook to the rapidly evolving concern successful Afghanistan.

Paying tribute

Opening the high-level event, Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to the victims and survivors of coercion – from New York to Baghdad to the frontlines of struggle successful Africa’s Sahel region.

“Since [2001], we person seen coercion instrumentality caller and antecedently unthinkable forms, sidesplitting and maiming galore thousands much astir the world, destroying families and upending societies”, helium said, adding that convulsive spiritual and governmental extremism, xenophobia and racism person further added to the toll.

Recognizing the loneliness and isolation experienced by galore survivors and families affected by terrorism, helium said the COVID-19 pandemic and related question restrictions person further constricted their quality to link with loved ones.

In immoderate cases, the pandemic has besides resulted successful a nonaccomplishment of indispensable resources needed for rehabilitation.

Spotlighting the International Day’s 2021 taxable successful his official message, the UN main said “connection” is simply a important healing cause for galore coercion survivors, helping them to consciousness heard and seen.

“Today we accidental to each victims and survivors of terrorism: you are not alone,” helium said.

Platform for support

In the years pursuing the 9/11 attacks, the UN and its Member States person strengthened efforts to uphold the rights of coercion survivors and make platforms for connection, moving hand-in-hand with civilian society, victims’ associations and victims themselves.

The Organization besides took steps to physique a robust counter-terrorism architecture, tasked with assisting States arsenic they make and instrumentality effectual counter-terrorism frameworks successful enactment with quality rights law.

In a landmark move, the Security Council adopted resolution 1373 (2001), establishing the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee.  

The General Assembly besides adopted resolution 60/288, creating the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is reviewed by Member States each 2 years.

Mr. Guterres said connected Friday that, those strides notwithstanding, more “national authorities and broad assistance plans are urgently needed” to code the needs of victims of coercion and their families.

To grow its relation arsenic a level for transportation among victims, survivors, families and advocates, the UN volition besides motorboat its first-ever Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, successful December 2021.

Looking ahead

Opening Friday’s high-level event, Mr. Guterres emphasized that remembrance means not lone honouring those who person mislaid their lives, but besides looking guardant to amended recognize the planetary community’s communal work to forestall aboriginal violent attacks.

He outlined ways the UN is moving to support radical harmless and defuse terrorists’ narratives, including by tackling “conditions conducive to the dispersed of coercion and supporting efforts to clasp perpetrators accountable”.

In June, the second High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism concluded amid calls for redoubled attraction to terrorism’s progressively blase effect to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Surrounding the day

The International Day comes connected the heels of a Security Council statement connected the ongoing menace posed by violent groups and the organ’s first-ever standalone statement on the relation of exertion successful protecting UN peacekeepers amid asymmetric threats.

It besides comes days aft an emergency meeting on Afghanistan, during which the apical UN authoritative appealed to the planetary assemblage to guarantee that state is ne'er again utilized arsenic a level oregon harmless haven for terrorists.

Recent weeks person besides seen an accrued absorption connected terrorism’s dangerous online shift, arsenic good as growing calls for a broad planetary normal connected planetary terrorism.

UNOCHA/Charlotte Cans

Regular airstrikes successful the Faj Attan neighbourhood successful Yemen person prompted astir of the colonisation to leave.