The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) expresses its firm solidarity with students in France and Belgium who are taking to the streets to demand better educational conditions, adequate funding, and an education system that upholds their fundamental rights. These demonstrations reflect the concerns of young people who are demanding that their needs, voices, and futures be taken seriously.
Education is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of an inclusive and equitable society. However, this right cannot be fully realised when schools lack adequate resources, educational conditions deteriorate, and funding decisions undermine the quality of learning. Access to education must mean more than simply having a place in a classroom; it must also ensure that students have the facilities, support, and opportunities necessary to learn and develop. Adequate investment in education is essential to addressing inequalities and ensuring that every young person, regardless of their socioeconomic background, can access quality education.
FEMYSO unequivocally condemns police brutality and the excessive use of force against student protesters, of whom a vast majority are minors. Reports of young people in France sustaining devastating, life-altering injuries, including the loss of limbs and permanent damage to their eyesight, are deeply alarming. Reports of force used against demonstrators in Belgium likewise raise serious concerns about the protection of the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. The use of disproportionate force against young people exercising their fundamental rights is unacceptable. Students must not be subjected to violence, intimidation, or repression for speaking out against conditions that directly affect their education and future.
FEMYSO calls on the relevant authorities in France and Belgium to take students’ demands seriously and address the structural challenges facing their education systems. This requires sustained investment in public education, adequate school facilities, and the resources necessary to provide students with a supportive learning environment. Authorities must also ensure that the rights of protesters are respected, that allegations of police misconduct are investigated independently and transparently, and that those responsible for unlawful violence are held accountable.
Young people have the right to participate in decisions that shape their lives and to peacefully challenge policies that affect their opportunities. Their demands for better educational conditions must be met with meaningful dialogue and concrete action, rather than force or intimidation. Protecting students’ rights requires both ensuring access to quality education and safeguarding their freedom to stand up for it.
FEMYSO reaffirms its commitment to advocating for equal access to quality education and the protection of young people’s fundamental rights. We stand in solidarity with students in France and Belgium and call on the relevant authorities to uphold their responsibilities towards young people and ensure that their rights are respected in practice. The right to education must be upheld, the right to peaceful protest must be protected, and the rights and dignity of every young person must be respected.
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Notes
- FEMYSO (est. 1996) is a network organisation of 30 Muslim youth and student organisations across 21 European countries, working to empower European Muslim youth and contribute to a more inclusive, cohesive, and just Europe.
- For more information or media requests, please contact: media@femyso.org