This is an updated assessment based on recommendations of a UNDP supported assessment conducted in 2015 to inform the Kosovo’s CVE strategy. Commissioned by UNDP and the MoIA, this research has the explicit aim of assessing (1) perceptions of radicalisation at the community level across Kosovo, (2) the perceived role of peers, educational institutions, religious leaders, teachers and communities, as well as (3) the perceived role and impact of media, the internet, and social media on recruitment and radicalisation in Kosovo. Its goal is to provide insights that could further complement Kosovo’s strategy and its institutions in countering violent extremism.

Using mixed methods and based on a Kosovo-wide survey of 608 respondents as well as stakeholder interviews and focus groups, with data disaggregated by gender, age, educational level, employment status, religion and geographical location, the assessment confirms that radicalisation is indeed an issue across Kosovo, with complex routes to radicalisation and varied understandings of profile of radicalisation across communities, stemming from a combination of societal and external factors.