Press release
New Project Release: PREPARE
06 Jan 2022
ICCT is proud to announce that we are launching a new project this month: Promoting collaborative policies of inclusion relating to children of far-right and Islamist parents in Western Europe (PREPARE).
“There is a generation of children that have faced unique and significant challenges, and in some cases unspeakable horrors, through their parents’ association with, and roles in, terrorist groups. I’m proud to work with this research team to support these children, and the professionals working with them.” Dr. Joana Cook, PREPARE Lead Investigator
The aim of this project is to identify the vulnerabilities and stigmas children may face when their parents are part of violent extremist networks and how those can best be addressed by relevant front-line actors in an informed, prepared, and collaborative way that centers on the needs of the child. PREPARE is guided by a human-rights, rule-of-law and gender informed approach. The outputs include the development of a new, unique Child Vulnerability and Intervention Tool; train-the-trainer activities; targeted workshops focused on identifying and supporting the vulnerabilities of children in these environments; and knowledge dissemination. PREPARE’s short, medium and long-term beneficiaries include front line practitioners (including those in police forces, social services, child protection agencies, health and education), families of violent extremist actors, policymakers, researchers, and their local communities across Europe. It ultimately supports stakeholder collaboration and preparedness in this work. The project focuses on six EU Member States facing pronounced challenges from Islamist and far-right extremists: The Netherlands, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany and Kosovo. However, the project and its outcomes will be of interest to other states as well. This project is funded by the EU and will be led by four other EU partner organisations:
