Méryl Demuynck is a Research Fellow for the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) Programme at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. Her work focuses on risk assessment, the rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremist offenders (VEOs), including returnees from Syria and Iraq and their families, the impact of violent extremism on children and youth, and community resilience against violent extremism, with a particular focus on West Africa and the Sahel region.

At ICCT, Méryl has supported the development and implementation of various research projects, including research exploring the nexus between small arms, light weapons, and terrorist financing, the vulnerabilities and resilience factors of children growing up in violent extremism-affiliated families, and among others, the interlinked challenges of disinformation and violent extremism. She has moreover contributed to the design and delivery of on-the-ground support and capacity-building activities to improve the management of violent extremist prisoners, enhance youth resilience to violent extremist narratives, and increase national stakeholders’ capacities in risk assessment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of individuals with (real or perceived) affiliation with violent extremism, notably in Mali and Iraq.

She holds a multidisciplinary Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, History, Economics and Law as well as a Master’s degree in European and International Relations - Internal and External Security of the European Union - from the Institute of Political Science (Sciences Po) in Strasbourg. She also completed a specialisation degree on Contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa at the Institute of Political Science (Sciences Po) in Lyon.

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