About the GCTF

The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) is an informal, apolitical, multilateral counterterrorism platform. It is small, nimble, inclusive, and consensus-based. Its overarching mission is to reduce the vulnerability of people worldwide to terrorism by mobilizing expertise and resources to prevent, combat, and prosecute terrorist acts and counter incitement and recruitment to terrorism. 

The Forum brings together policymakers and practitioners from around the world to share experiences and expertise, and to develop practical, publicly available tools and strategies on how to prevent and counter the evolving terrorist threat. The GCTF is currently co-chaired by Egypt and the European Union. 

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What is the GCTF?

News

Rediscovering Childhood After Camps in Syria

Rediscovering Childhood After Camps in Syria

In Albania, GCERF, a GCTF Inspired Institution, supports returnees from conflicts abroad—and their families—to reintegrate into their communities. Local partners provide services for returnees, covering housing, educational and medical needs. Read more »
Effective Judicial Responses to Terrorist Offenses

Effective Judicial Responses to Terrorist Offenses

Through online sessions, the IIJ worked with East and West African criminal justice practitioners to encourage them to investigate and prosecute terrorism offences using the full range of legal tools at their disposal, including laws focused on sexual and gender-based violence crimes and other core international crimes. Read more »
Counterterrorism Perspectives in West Africa

Counterterrorism Perspectives in West Africa

21-23 June 2022

The GCTF Capacity-Building in the West Africa Region Working Group convened its second Plenary Meeting under the current co-chair mandate in Accra, Ghana. Discussions focused on regional and cross border priorities related to preventing and countering terrorism and explored ways to further enhance capacity building and cooperation in the region. Read more »
Returning Families in MENA & the Mediterranean

Returning Families in MENA & the Mediterranean

22 June 2022

The return of family members of foreign terrorist fighters is an ongoing and increasingly salient issue. The GCTF FTF Working Group convened a regional workshop to look at integrating policy and practice related to returning families in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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Activities

Second Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Plenary Meeting

Second Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Plenary Meeting

2-3 November 2015

Under the co-chairmanship of Australia and Indonesia, participants discussed the DR Working Group’s strategic priorities, considered ongoing and planned initiatives, and reviewed activities since the inaugural plenary meeting in Bali, Indonesia (August 2014). The meeting served as a forum to share challenges, concerns, experiences, expertise, and best practices in building capacity on managing and reintegrating terrorist inmates.

Discussions were broad ranging, covering issues such as prison security and risk management, countering radicalization in prisons, capacity building to manage terrorist inmates, and reintegrating rehabilitated terrorist detainees.

Examples of key cross-cutting themes from the meeting included:

  • Efforts to counter violent extremism (CVE), including through counter-narratives, could be increased inside correction facilities and extended to pre-detention areas.
  • Addressing core issues, including implementing good practices on securing, managing, rehabilitating and reintegrating terrorist offenders.

In addition, the Working Group conducted a desktop exercise that aimed to examine the characteristics of different types of terrorist inmates, including “Foreign Terrorist Fighters” (FTFs), and identify ways to tailor security and detainee management approaches to suit.

More links

Workshop on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs)

Workshop on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs)

TURIN - Italy - The GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration and Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Groups and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) teamed up with experts in Turin to discuss the ways forward on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs).

Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders

Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders

NAIROBI - Kenya - On 7-8 October 2015, the government of Kenya hosted the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration (DR) Working Group’s “Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders.” The workshop was co-chaired by the governments of Australia and Indonesia, and was co-organized by the Global Center on Cooperative Security (Global Center).

 GCTF Insights

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