Preventing poverty, human rights abuse is best way to fight terrorism, UN tells world leaders

Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary-general, has advised world leaders that prevention of poverty, human rights abuses and discrimination is the best weapon to fight terrorism.

Guterres spoke on Monday at the opening of the UN’s third counter-terrorism week in New York, U.S.

The UN secretary-general said that poverty, inequality and exclusion are fueling terrorism around the world, destroying social inclusion and people’s rights.

He added that counter-terrorism campaigns must embrace opposite tactics and not “perpetuate the same denial and destruction”.

“Poverty, inequalities and social exclusion give terrorism fuel,” Guterres said.

“Prejudice and discrimination targeting specific groups, cultures, religions and ethnicities give it flame.

“The second area of focus needs to be prevention, which means addressing the underlying conditions that lead to terrorism in the first place – such as poverty, discrimination, disaffection, weak infrastructure and institutions and gross violations of human rights.

“This means more than just foiling attacks and disrupting plots. It is also necessary to ensure that counter-terrorism strategies and measures reflect all communities, constituencies and voices.

“Terrorism represents the denial and destruction of human rights.

“And so the fight against it will never succeed if we perpetuate the same denial and destruction.

“Despite the territorial defeat of Da’esh over four years ago, more than 50,000 children, women and men remain in Al-Hol and other camps and detention centres in northeast Syria, subjected to dire security and humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses.”