Mid Term Evaluation Report Of The Project: " Prevention Of Violent Extremism Through Local Voices And Initiatives In The Western Balkans”

This report presents the findings and conclusions of the mid-term evaluation of the Project: Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Local Voices and Initiatives in the Western Balkans led by the International Organization for Migration, funded by the Bureau of Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State. The project runs in six countries in the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia1 and Kosovo*2 . The thematic area of the Project is prevention of violent extremism, while the implementation covers period: 28 September 2018 – 27 September 2020. Due to an extraordinary situation caused by the Pandemic of COVID -19 and increasing the number of COVID-19 cases throughout the Western Balkans region, the request for extension of the Project for an additional 12 months (until October 2021) was initiated. The proposed project's main goal is to contribute to the efforts of civil society and central and local authorities in the Western Balkans to prevent radicalization, recruitment and inspiration of individuals to violent extremist ideologies and groups. In order to achieve this goal, this project is coordinated with relevant ministries and national coordinators for P/CVE. This 24-month project, which is built on IOM’s knowledge, experience and partnerships gained through the extensive engagement in P/CVE in the WB, was prepared in consultation with key actors and considered a broad range of interventions and partners. The Project beneficiaries are central and local authorities and civil society in six countries involved in the Project.