Communities across West Africa are increasingly affected by the complex interactions between terrorism, crime and illicit economies. These dynamics often intersect with governance challenges, socio-economic vulnerabilities, informal livelihood systems and local conflict dynamics, creating challenging operating environments for civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in prevention, peacebuilding and community resilience.
To support locally led prevention efforts, UNICRI has developed a new practical guide aimed at helping CSOs translate research findings, field observations and practitioner experiences into practical, context-sensitive approaches to strengthening community resilience.
The guide builds on the operational experiences, case studies and discussions shared during the Regional Workshop on Strengthening Community Resilience against the Nexus between Terrorism and Criminal Activities in West Africa, convened by UNICRI from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The workshop brought together CSOs, researchers and practitioners from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria to exchange experiences, identify good practices and discuss locally grounded approaches to prevention.
Bridging the gap between research and practice
Communities affected by the crime-terror nexus are often viewed primarily through a security lens. As a result, prevention efforts may overlook the economic, governance and social factors that shape vulnerability, as well as the capacities communities already possess to strengthen their own resilience.
The guide responds to this challenge by providing practical guidance to help CSOs analyse local contexts, engage communities, strengthen prevention initiatives and manage operational risks. It highlights five overarching lessons:
Understand local contexts: Base prevention programmes on participatory assessments that identify both vulnerabilities and existing community capacities.
Address the realities of local economies: Develop realistic, economically viable alternatives that are informed by an understanding of the factors and incentives driving participation in illicit economies.
Strengthen existing community capacities: Recognize women’s associations, youth groups, traditional and religious leaders, savings groups and other local networks as implementation partners.
Build trust through conflict-sensitive engagement: Begin with locally identified concerns and avoid stigmatizing communities or treating proximity to illicit economies as evidence of complicity.
Invest in sustained partnerships: Strengthen cooperation between CSOs, national institutions and international partners, integrating community perspectives into policy and supporting locally led prevention efforts.
Supporting locally led prevention
The guide translates existing evidence and practitioner experiences into practical guidance that CSOs can adapt to their own operational environments.
Intended for CSOs, community-based organizations and practitioners, the publication may also serve as a reference for local authorities, development partners and organizations supporting community-based prevention and peacebuilding initiatives.
