R2 A2: European Students at Risk programme

Background

Across the globe from Belarus and Myanmar to Hong Kong, Turkey and Iran, student
activists face severe persecution for their efforts to promote human rights,
democracy, and the right to education. They are at risk of being imprisoned,
tortured and/ or persecuted. There’s been an increase in the oppression of
critical voices by authorities. As one example we have Masha Amini - an Iranian
woman arrested in Tehran for opposing mandatory hijab and subsequent death in
police custody, which sparked a wave of protests throughout Iran in September
2022. Additionally the Iranian regime followed up with 409 attacks directly
attached to student expressions and the poisoning of more than a thousand girls
in fifty eight schools in August 2023. Consequently, it is crucial to implement
protection measures for these student activists and others who are vulnerable.

One such mechanism is the Students at Risk programme, which supports students
facing persecution for their human rights activism. This program aims to protect
those at risk of being denied either directly, or indirectly their right to
education and other fundamental rights.

They are being offered an opportunity to study in a safe country in order to
complete their education. The initiative seeks to advance human rights and the
right to education by empowering student activists by providing them with an
academic degree.

The Students at Risk programme is an important programme in the fight for
democracy, freedom of speech and human rights as it protects the fundamental
right to education.

The original programme was initiated in 2014 by The National Union of Students’
in Norway (NSO) and the Norwegian Students’ and Academics International
Assistance Fund (SAIH). Other countries have also started similar programmes,
such as the Polish NAWA programme for Belarusian students and DAAD Germany’s
Hilde Domin programme for the general student population. Other countries are
also working on establishing their similar programmes. However, due to national
limitations in funding, language requirements and application processes the
existing programmes can only accept a limited number of students each year.

The Federations of Young European Greens (FYEG) is calling for more solidarity
and cooperation in Europe. There is a need for a coordinated European approach
to ensure that students at risk can complete their studies. We are seeing an
urgent need for a programme that supports student's rights in the European
Union, which can provide rapid assistance in emergency circumstances and ensure
the right to education.

Given the increasing persecution of student activists, it is non-negotiable that the European Union applies pressure on governments to respect human rights and democratic principles. This includes advocating for repealing repressive laws like those in Georgia, especially for countries aspiring to join the EU. The EU should extend its support by hosting and protecting these young activists.

For all that, the Federation of Young European Greens calls to:

• Support the establishment of a European programme of scholarships for
  students at risk of persecution due to their student, human rights and
  democratic activism with a single access point for the applicants,
  coordinating and co-funding national schemes.

• Establish an interim solution at the European level, either by allocating
  additional funds to existing programmes or by creating new ones.