Extremists taking advantage of global COVID-19 lockdowns to recruit youths online: UN chief Antonio Guterres
Geneva/IBNS: UN chief Antonio Guterres alerted the world that extremist groups are taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdowns and have intensified their efforts to recruit youths online by exploiting their anger and despair through social media.
"It is all too easy for extremist groups to exploit the anger and despair, and the risk of radicalization climbs," the UN chief said in a statement.
"We can already see such groups taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdowns, intensifying their efforts on social media to spread hatred and to recruit young people who may be spending more time at home and on line," he said.
He said: "Yet, despite these hurdles and despite these risks, young people are still finding ways to engage, support each other, and to demand and drive change. We see it in our battle against COVID-19."
He said the world cannot afford a lost generation of youth.
"The world cannot afford a lost generation of youth, their lives set back by COVID-19 and their voices stifled by a lack of participation," he said.
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