Shipwrecked. Rethinking migration and asylum in Europe #Public conference 2: Ways ahead

Ways ahead – How to counter right-wing populism and safeguard Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Europe

How can refugees and migrants themselves and civil society in general actively counter the shift to the right? In how far can journalism and media play a role to change the mainstream narratives and stereotypical perceptions? What are legal ways to challenge breaches of Rule of Law and what is the potential of strategic litigation? How can municipalities and the local level despite national and EU level policies support and welcome people on the move?

Milena Zajovic, psychologist, journalist, human rights defender: “After we connected actors on the ground [through ‘Are you Syrious?’ platform], we created through BVMN an advocacy platform that really tried to bring information from the ground to policy makers, to shortcut the entire big NGO monopoly. […]  I think our goal needs to be to become redundant because we need to constantly reinvent what we are doing and to do it from the scratch, in order to stay relevant”.

Tiago da Cruz Bartholo, coordinator of From the Sea to the City: “From the Sea to the City is aiming at turning a transnational local authority network into a political actor. For example, we have managed to take 10 municipalities last year to Brussels. And they were heard. It didn’t have the outcome of them being incorporated as an EU body to have direct exchange for policymaking, which is ideally what we would aim for, but it was for sure a valid step which we will continue to work on”.

Stefanos Loukopoulos, co-founder and director of Vouliwatch: “Firstly, we decided to be pop, […] we are trying to wrap something that might be a bit ugly and boring with colorful thing to make it more attractive. […] Secondly, we are trying to find clever ways to connect abstract terms that we are advocating for to practical issues. Thirdly, fighting – by fighting you set an example that you can stand up to seemingly authorities, entities and institutions that are bigger than you”.

Parasto Hakim, founder of SRAK Underground Schools: “I’m working on secret schools in Afghanistan from 2021 in September, shortly after the Taliban came. We have more than a thousand girls right now on our platforms that they are studying with us in secret schools and we have made some small businesses for them, so that they can support themselves and their families to escape being forced for marriages”.