UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Counter-Terrorism

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UN Entities

• UN Office of Counter-Terrorism: https://www.un.org/en/counterterrorism/
  • UN Counter-Terrorism Centre: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/cct
    • Victims of Terrorism Support Portal: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/cct/victims-of-terrorism
  • United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/global-ct-compact
  • Countering Terrorist Travel Programme: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/cttravel/about
  • Secretary-General signs United Nations Coordination Compact with 36 Entities to end terrorism, violent extremism worldwide (SG/SM/18907, 23 February 2018): https://press.un.org/en/2018/sgsm18907.doc.htm
  • General Assembly approves creation of new UN Counter-Terrorism Office (UN News Centre, 15 June 2017): https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/06/559582
• Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC): https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/
• Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1540 (2004): https://www.un.org/en/sc/1540/
• Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities (“ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee”): https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/1267
• Security Council Working Group established pursuant to Resolution 1566 (2004): https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/subsidiary/1566
• Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly Resolution 51/210 of 17 December 1996: https://legal.un.org/committees/terrorism/
• United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) – Preventing and Countering Transnational Security Threats, Terrorism, and Points of Nexus: https://unicri.it/topics/counter_terrorism
• United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) – Counter-Terrorism-Strategy: https://disarmament.unoda.org/en/our-work/cross-cutting-issues/united-nations-counter-terrorism-strategy
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism/index.html

• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • OHCHR and terrorism and violent extremism: https://www.ohchr.org/en/terrorism
  • Terrorism and violent extremism: https://www.ohchr.org/en/topic/terrorism-and-violent-extremism
  • Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-terrorism
  • Independent expert on terrorism: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-terrorism/independent-expert-terrorism

Further Information

• Global issues on the UN Agenda – Countering Terrorism: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/countering-terrorism

UN Observances & Events

• 2026 Counter-Terrorism Week: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/2026-counter-terrorism-week
• International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism, 12 February: https://www.un.org/en/observances/prevention-extremism-when-conducive-terrorism-day
• International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, 21 August: https://www.un.org/en/observances/terrorism-victims-day
• Fourth High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, 29-30 June 2026: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/HLC2026
• High-Level Conference on “Strengthening International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanisms – The Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process”,” Kuwait City, 4-5 November 2024: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/2024-kuwait-dushanbe-conference
• United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, 8-9 October 2024: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/un-international-conference-victims-terrorism-2024
• Third United Nations High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, 19-20 June 2023: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/HLC2023
• International High-Level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists”, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 18-19 October 2022: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/2022-dushanbe-conference
• United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, 8-9 September 2022: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/2022-un-global-congress-victims-terrorism
• Second United Nations High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, 28-30 June 2021: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/en/HLC2021
• High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, 28 – 29 June 2018: https://www.un.org/en/counterterrorism/hlc/index.shtml

 Treaties, Declarations & selected UN Documents

• International Legal Instruments:
  https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/international-legal-instruments
• UN documents on “Counter-Terrorism”: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/un-documents
• UN documents on “Terrorism” – click here
• A/71/858 (3 April 2017): Capability of the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: Report of the Secretary-General: https://docs.un.org/A/71/858
  Annexes (p. 20-58): 1. Written replies from Member States for inclusion in the report of the Secretary-General on the capability of the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy — 2. Terms of reference for the Advisory Board of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre.
• A/70/674 (24 December 2015): Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism: Report of the Secretary-General: https://docs.un.org/A/70/674
• A/RES/60/288 (Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September 2006): United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: https://docs.un.org/A/RES/60/288
  Summary: Decides, without prejudice to the continuation of the discussion in its relevant committees of all their agenda items related to terrorism and counter-terrorism, to undertake the following steps for the effective follow-up of the Strategy: (a) To launch the Strategy at a high-level segment of its 61st session; (b) To examine in 2 years progress made in the implementation of the Strategy, and to consider updating it to respond to changes, recognizing that many of the measures contained in the Strategy can be achieved immediately, some will require sustained work through the coming few years and some should be treated as long-term objectives; (c) To invite the Secretary-General to contribute to the future deliberations of the General Assembly on the review of the implementation and updating of the Strategy; (d) To encourage Member States, UN and other appropriate international, regional and subregional organizations to support the implementation of the Strategy, including through mobilizing resources and expertise; (e) To further encourage non-governmental organizations and civil society to engage, as appropriate, on how to enhance efforts to implement the Strategy; decides to include in the provisional agenda of its 62nd session an item entitled “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”.
• A/60/825 (27 April 2006): Uniting Against Terrorism: Recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy; Report of the Secretary-General: https://docs.un.org/A/60/825
  Submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/1. Annexes (p. 25-32): 1. Inventory of UN counter-terrorism activities — 2. Status of universal instruments related to the prevention and suppression of international terrorism.
• A/59/565 (2 December 2004): A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility; Report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change: https://docs.un.org/A/59/565
  Summary: Transmits letter dated 1 Dec. 2004 from the Chair of the UN High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change enclosing the report of the Panel entitled “A more secure world: our shared responsibility”. Part 1 of the text on “Towards a new security consensus” identifies 3 basic pillars the case for collective security today rests on: i) threats without boundaries; ii) the limits of self-protection; and iii) sovereignty and responsibility. Part 2 on “Collective security and the challenge of prevention” identifies 6 clusters of threats with which the world must be concerned now and in the decades ahead: i) economic and social threats, including poverty, infectious diseases and environmental degradation; ii) inter-State conflict; iii) internal conflict, including civil war, genocide and other large-scale atrocities; iv) nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological weapons; v) terrorism; and vi) transnational organized crime. Part 3 on “Collective security and the use of force” addresses the circumstances in which effective collective security may require the backing of military force, and identifies 5 criteria of legitimacy. Part 4 on “A more effective UN for the 21st century” focuses on the issue of the UN reform, and states that recommendations that ignore underlying power realities will be doomed to failure or irrelevance, but recommendations that simply reflect raw distributions of power and make no effort to bolster international principles are unlikely to gain the widespread adherence required to shift international behaviour. Included annexes are: i) summary of recommendations; ii) Panel members and terms of reference; iii) Panel secretariat; and iv) Panel meetings, regional consultations and issue workshops.

Selected Statements and Speeches of the Secretary-General

• Remember victims of terrorism responsibly, never exploit their stories to sow more hate, Secretary-General urges in Observance Message (SG/SM/23238, 11 August 2026): https://press.un.org/en/2026/sgsm23238.doc.htm
• Secretary-General, at High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism, urges greater preventive measures, cooperation, unwavering commitment to human rights (SG/SM/23202, 29 June 2026): https://press.un.org/en/2026/sgsm23202.doc.htm
• Secretary-General, in Video Message to Global Counter-Terrorism Compact, urges response anchored in international law, human rights vital amid growing terrorist threat (SG/SM/23127, 13 May 2026): https://press.un.org/en/2026/sgsm23127.doc.htm
• Strengthen education systems, expand civic space to address grievances, conditions that foster terrorism, Secretary-General Urges in Observance Message (SG/SM/23003, 2 February 2026): https://press.un.org/en/2026/sgsm23003.doc.htm
• Secretary-General, addressing Security Council, warns of ‘disastrous domino effect’ as terror threat intensifies across Sahel, calls for coordination (SG/SM/22914, 18 November 2025): https://press.un.org/en/2025/sgsm22914.doc.htm
• On Victims of Terrorism Day, Secretary-General calls for justice, solidarity, and dignity for all (SG/SM/22760, 11 August 2025): https://press.un.org/en/2025/sgsm22760.doc.htm
• As peace gets pushed further from reach, dark spirit of impunity for terrorism spreads, multilateral solutions key (SG/SM/22558, 18 February 2025): https://press.un.org/en/2025/sgsm22558.doc.htm

Selected Publications available online

• UNODC publications: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/publications-by-date.html
• UN Office of Counter-Terrorism publications: https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/publications
• Protecting Human Rights while Using Artificial Intelligence to Counter Terrorism: Position Paper (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, December 2025): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/position-papers/protecting-human-rights-while-using-artificial-intelligence-counter
• Ensuring Respect for Human Rights while Taking Measures to Counter the Financing of Terrorism (OHCHR, November 2025): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/ensuring-respect-human-rights-while-taking-measures-counter-financing
• Defining ‘Terrorism’ in National Criminal Legislation (OHCHR Guidance note, March 2025): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/guidance-note-defining-terrorism-national-criminal-legislation
• OHCHR Toolkit on Strengthening Human Rights in Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Policy (30 May 2024): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/ohchr-toolkit-strengthening-human-rights-counter-terrorism-strategy
• The impact of Counter‑Terrorism and other Criminal Legislation on Media Freedom and the Safety of Journalists (OHCHR, 1 November 2023): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/impact-counter-terrorism-and-other-criminal-legislation-media-freedom
• Civic Space Brief: Counter-Terrorism (OHCHR, 15 June 2023): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/civic-space-brief-counter-terrorism
• UN Women’s engagement in support of counter terrorism and prevention of violent extremism (UN Women, 2022): https://bit.ly/3zbf9XF

Databases & Research Guides

• Electronic Legal Resources on International Terrorism: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/international-cooperation/databases.html
• UN Library Vienna Research Guide – Terrorism Prevention: https://libraryresearch.unvienna.org/terrorismprevention
• Audiovisual Library of International Law
  • Historic Archives

• • • Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, 1994, and the 1996 Supplementary Declaration thereto / by Rohan Perera: https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/dot/dot.html
    • International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, 1997 /
      by Pierre Klein: https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/icstb/icstb.html
    • International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, 1999 / by Pierre Klein: https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/icsft/icsft.html
    • International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, 2005 / by Rohan Perera: https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/icsant/icsant.html

• • Lectures Series
    • Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and War against Terrorism / by Maja Sersic: https://legal.un.org/avl/ls/Sersic_PS.html
    • Tensions between Sanctions, Counter-terrorism Measures and Humanitarian Action / by Emanuela-Chiara Gillard: https://legal.un.org/avl/ls/Gillard_PS.html
    • International Legal Framework to Enhance Co-operation in Combating International Terrorism – Contribution of the United Nations / by Rohan A. Perera: https://legal.un.org/avl/ls/Perera_PS.html
    • The Security Council, the Al Qaida Sanctions Regime and Due Process / by Mr. Dire Tladi: https://legal.un.org/avl/ls/Tladi_PS.html
    • State Responsibility for International Terrorism / by Dr. Kimberley Trapp: https://legal.un.org/avl/ls/Trapp_S.html

August 2026
not an official document – for information only
https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-counter-terrorism/