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The Prevent Strategy to be scrapped?
Shahid Malik, the communities minister, has stated that the government is reforming and renaming it's much criticised 'Prevent' Strategy. However, there are few details as yet as to what this actually means. Mr Malik told Sky News that "we are broadening our approach to involve all communities in developing shared values to strengthen cohesion. This includes putting a renewed focus on resisting right-wing, racist extremism, based on strengthening communities to help keep everyone safe." See links below for media coverage on the story.
There is speculation that the government may be considering the recommendations of a report published today. The report entitled 'Stronger Together: A new approach to preventing violent extremism' by the think tank, the New Local Government Network, calls for the strategy to be 'scrapped.' It is also calling for the £45 million scheme to focus on tackling all forms of extremism - rather than just Islamic extremism. The report makes several references to An-Nisa Society's report, 'Preventing Violent Extremism and Prevent - A response from the Muslim community' and addresses many of the issues outlined in the An-Nisa report. We hope to produce a more detailed analysis on the NLGN report once we have had an opportunity to scrutinise it more thoroughly.
The An-Nisa report (download below), the only Muslim response to the Prevent strategy, has been produced by a women-led organisation with very little resources. Despite our limited means the report has had widespread circulation and been highly influential in the debate on this very important issue.
It remains to be seen whether the government's new approach will be an improvement.
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The Daily TelegraphAn-Nisa Society's Report 'Preventing Violent Extremism and Prevent: A response from the Muslim response community.'
An-Nisa Society's initial response to CONTEST 2 - An-Nisa_Response_Contest_2.pdf