Fatima Akilu

Fatima Akilu is a Nigerian Muslim psychologist, author, educator, former government official, education advocate and public speaker in the areas of preventing and countering violent extremism (CVE) and counter-terrorism. She is currently the executive director of the Neem Foundation and the former director of Behavioural Analysis and Strategic Communication at the office of the National Security Advisor in Nigeria, where she helped develop the country's first Countering Violent Extremism Programme. Akilu is a part of the Global Strategy Network team with industry expert Richard Barrett and other individuals.

Quotes

• Simply put people first, prioritize the response to victims and ensure that communities are supported in rebuilding their lives.
  • Her opinion in an interview
• Women hold the key to any peace building initiatives as they experience the conflict in a totally different way from men. They have been silently bearing the brunt as mothers, wives, sisters, participants and saviors, yet they are still excluded from the solutions table. We have found that when women are included in decision making there tends to be more focus away from military solutions. I feel that women when they are called upon it is often at the local level but we need more women at senior levels in government particularly the security sectors.
  • Her opinion in an interview]