One of the international community’s strongest instruments to prevent terrorism is a coherent legislative framework that as many countries as possible in the world adhere to.
We support Member States with the implementation of the international legal framework against terrorism. This includes 19 international legal instruments and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Some examples of these include legally-binding instruments on: the hijacking of airplanes; hostage-taking of internationally protected persons; illicit use or handling of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials; acts against the safety of maritime navigation or fixed platforms on the continental shelf; bombings; and financing of related terrorist incidents.
The implementation of these instruments is guided by the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and by resolutions of the UN General Assembly.
Upon request, we conduct legislative assessments and gap-analyses of existing national counter-terrorism legislation. We also assist with the drafting and revision of Member States’ domestic legislation to harmonise and align it with international legal instruments against terrorism.
We maintain the SHERLOC knowledge management portal, which contains databases on the status of adherence with the 19 international legal instruments against terrorism. It also contains extensive information on national counter-terrorism legislation and on relevant case law relating to terrorism and other associated crime areas.
For more than 20 years, we have developed a range of legal resources to support of Member States in their adherence to the international legal instruments against terrorism.
