Returning Home
Returning Home: Children of ISIS and Reintegration in Tunisia
From Syria to Tunisia, violent extremism continues to affect countless lives, creating complex challenges for families and governments across the MENA region. This documentary photography project, commissioned by Hedayah Centre for Excellence in Countering Violent Extremism, documents Tunisia's unprecedented efforts to reintegrate children of ISIS fighters and address the lasting impacts of foreign fighter recruitment.
Approximately 3,000 Tunisians left their homeland to join terrorist groups abroad, primarily ISIS in Syria and Libya. Of these, 600 foreign fighters have returned home, while 800 were killed while fighting overseas. However, many women and children born to ISIS fighters remain stranded in Syrian and Libyan refugee camps, where they face ongoing susceptibility to recruitment, radicalization, and trauma that extends the cycle of violent extremism.
This photojournalism project captures Tunisia's groundbreaking approach to child reintegration and rehabilitation, documenting how the country addresses the complex needs of children affected by violent extremism. Through collaboration between Hedayah Centre and the Tunisian Government, comprehensive support programs provide psychological rehabilitation, educational support, and social reintegration services for vulnerable children.
The work documents how Hedayah has trained over 99 educators, psychologists, and social workers operating in detention centers, rehabilitation facilities, and reintegration centers. These specialized professionals work to support the effective reintegration of children who have experienced trauma, displacement, and exposure to violent extremist ideology.
Through documentary photography, this project reveals the intersection of child protection, national security, and human rights in post-conflict societies. The images capture both the institutional responses to radicalization and the human stories of families attempting to rebuild their lives while addressing the complex trauma associated with violent extremism exposure.
The project examines how Tunisia balances security concerns with child welfare, implementing evidence-based approaches to deradicalization and reintegration that prioritize children's best interests while addressing community safety concerns. The work documents innovative methodologies that combine psychological support, educational programming, and community engagement to prevent re-radicalization.
This documentation reveals how frontline professionals—educators, social workers, and mental health specialists—develop specialized expertise to address the unique needs of children affected by violent extremism. From detention centers to community reintegration programs, the work captures the complex process of helping children transition from conflict environments to peaceful civilian life.
The project provides rare visual access to rehabilitation and reintegration processes that remain largely invisible to international audiences. Through collaboration with Hedayah Centre, this documentation offers insights into best practices and innovative approaches that inform counter-violent extremism programming across the MENA region and beyond.
The work examines how children's experiences with violent extremism create lasting psychological and social impacts that require specialized intervention. From trauma therapy to educational catch-up programs, this documentation reveals the comprehensive support systems necessary to break cycles of radicalization and violence.
Tunisia, 2021.
Work commissioned by Hedayah Centre for Excellence in Countering Violent Extremism as part of comprehensive documentation of child rehabilitation and reintegration programs addressing the impacts of foreign fighter recruitment and ISIS involvement.
