DEMOCRACY 3 UNEMPLOYMENT DRIVERS

These municipalities, Pristina, Ferizaj, Hani i Elezit, and Kacanik, were selected because they have been a source of a significant number of foreign fighters.

DEMOCRACY 3 UNEMPLOYMENT DRIVERS

In early 2017, the Institute conducted research in four municipalities in Kosovo, to understand the local drivers behind increased vulnerability to violent extremism in the community. The Democracy indicator ranges from 0 (Least democratic) to 10 (most democratic). It is conceived as three essential, interdependent elements, the presence of institutions, the existence of institutionalized constraints on the exercise of executive power and the guarantee of civil liberties. IRI’s approach to preventing violent extremism is anchored in three phases : understand, inform, and equip. This report is part of the first phase of that strategy. The democracy variable is downloaded from Polity IV. “Increasing engagement with citizens, increasing government transparency, and improving coordination between national and local authorities are some key measures that will help strengthen Kosovo’s democracy and help prevent violent extremism. “As Kosovo continues to develop as a democracy, it is crucial that both the national and local governments work together to formulate policies that address the vulnerabilities identified in this report,” said IRI Director of Governance Rima Kawas.

While participants generally have a positive view of democracy and believe that it is capable of addressing the issues that contribute to the rise of violent extremism, many were doubtful that Kosovar democracy is sufficiently developed to combat this challenge.Īs conflict continues in the Middle East, many respondents believe that external influences – namely, foreign and foreign-educated imams, international “charities” and associations – are the primary purveyors of radical ideology, and want to see a renewed emphasis on the moderate practice of Islam that they believe is indigenous to Kosovo. Participants noted the dearth of outlets for young Kosovars, and believe that the government is not doing enough to give young people a sense of purpose. The findings indicate a strong perception that frustrations with corruption and unemployment are driving young Kosovars toward violent extremism. “This research illuminates some of the weaknesses in the country’s democratic development driving some young Kosovars to extremism, and offers important insights into potential solutions to this challenge.” “As one of Europe’s youngest democracies with a very recent history of ethno-religious conflict, Kosovo is uniquely vulnerable to violent extremism,” said Paul McCarthy, Regional Deputy Director for Europe. Through in-depth focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews with residents of four municipalities in Kosovo-including three returned foreign fighters who traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight with groups such as ISIS-IRI identified recommendations for community-led initiatives to counter the influence of violent extremism. Washington, D.C.-Public opinion research released today by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research offers new insights into vulnerabilities to violent extremism among segments of Kosovo’s population.

Democracy 3 unemployment