The Counterstrike Generation

This policy brief presents an analysis of the dangers and challenges posed by the “securitization” of the YPS agenda, addressing both hard counter-terrorism approaches that target youth in the name of countering violent extremism (CVE), and the increasingly pervasive influence of ‘softer’ securitization through the guise of preventing violent extremism (PVE). It draws attention to the fact that instead of cultivating and investing in the role of young peacebuilders, young women and men are still subject to forms of ‘policy panic’ which result in them being endangered not only by terrorist organizations, but also by the counter-terrorist strategies of their own governments. This brief concludes with recommendations for how stakeholders supportive of the YPS agenda can confront the  securitization of young people, and strategize to protect the rights of young men and women at both the drafting and implementation stages of counterterrorism policies and programs.