In Search of Common Ground: Applying Shared Lessons from Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence .

This paper discusses the various ways to mitigate the drivers of group violence by the international development community by putting forth five principles to design and implement programs aimed at countering and preventing violent extremism and enabling stable environments for improved development.

This chapter was written by Chemonics employees Enrique Betancourt and Todd Diamond as part of an anthology published by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) entitled “Sharpening Our Efforts: The Role of International Development in Countering Violent Extremism.” It proposes five principles aimed at countering and preventing violent extremism: adapting to the unstable political environment, targeting group behavior rather than identity, providing problem-solving and citizen-centered justice solutions, prioritizing inclusive and psychosocial interventions, and enabling collective impact.