EU funding of Pakistan’s questionable school education system

In a significant gathering at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva on 26th March 2025, the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council spotlighted Pakistan's escalating human rights abuses. The event, titled "Human Rights in Pakistan: Education Under Siege – Ideology, Intolerance, and the Erosion of Human Rights in Pakistan," was orchestrated by French NGO CAP Liberté de Conscience, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), and Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), writes Gary Cartwright/EU Today.

A call to conscience

Ms Christine Mirre, Director of CAP Liberté de Conscience, opened the session by reaffirming the NGO's 25-year commitment to defending fundamental rights and religious freedom. She emphasized the persistent persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan, stating, "Today's discussion aims to examine how state policy, educational systems, and ideological indoctrination intersect to threaten freedom of conscience."

EU's stance on religious freedom

The keynote address was delivered by Mr Ján Figeľ, former EU Commissioner and the first European Union Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU. Figeľ underscored the centrality of religious liberty within the broader human rights framework, remarking, "Freedom of religion or belief is not just one right among many—it is central to human dignity and a litmus test for the protection of all other rights."

He highlighted the EU's significant trade relationship with Pakistan under the GSP+ scheme, noting, "Pakistan is the largest beneficiary of GSP+ preferences, yet there has been little improvement in human rights. The EU must reassess the cost of its silence." Figeľ called for the reform of EU education support, stating, "Financial assistance to discriminatory or extremist educational content must be halted. Promoting segregation from childhood undermines peace, justice, and inclusion."

Scrutinizing EU funding in Pakistani education

Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, presented a comprehensive analysis of the EU's GSP+ mechanism and education sector funding in Pakistan. He revealed that between 2016 and 2024, the European Union has spent upwards of €150 million on education in Pakistan. "Yet this investment supports a system where non-Muslim children face exclusion, and extremist clerics dictate curricula," he said. "Parliamentary questions have been raised, but the Commission's responses have lacked transparency and accountability."

Fautré cited multiple reports and incidents, including a case in Punjab where a professor was forced to publicly renounce teaching Darwin's theory after threats from clerics. "This is not education—it is ideological coercion. The EU's credibility is at stake," he asserted. He concluded by urging, "If Europe is to remain a human rights actor, it must ensure that public funds do not enable the erosion of pluralism and academic freedom."

Personal testimonies of persecution

Mr Anwar Mehmood Rehman, a Swiss-based Ahmadiyya Muslim politician and human rights activist, provided a deeply personal account of the persecution faced by the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan. He highlighted that Ordinance XX criminalizes their identity, preventing them from calling themselves Muslims, voting, or holding public office. "This is state-sanctioned exclusion," he said. "Children are taught in schools that Ahmadis are liars or infidels. My own father, a doctor serving the poor, was killed by a student radicalized by such teachings."

Rehman appealed to international institutions to act decisively, calling for the repeal of blasphemy laws and for Pakistan to meet its obligations under international human rights conventions. "It is not enough to express concern. We need protection, recognition, and reform—without delay," he emphasized.

Forced conversions and marriages

Inna Chefranova, executive director of the European Facilitation Platform, addressed the plight of minority girls subjected to forced conversion and marriage. She described the problem as systemic, enabled by a curriculum that marginalizes non-Muslim identities and presents Islamic supremacy as a norm. Chefranova cited the case of 13-year-old Arzoo Raja, who was abducted, converted, and married to an older man, illustrating the failures of Pakistan's judiciary and education system.

She linked these abuses to international trade and aid mechanisms, stating, "The EU cannot continue to provide GSP+ privileges while systemic abuse persists. Monitoring without enforcement fails victims." Chefranova added, "Education should be a tool of inclusion, not indoctrination. Until reforms are implemented, support should be conditional on measurable progress."

EU parliamentary concerns

A recorded message from Mr Bert-Jan Ruissen, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief, was also played during the event. He expressed concern over EU funding in Pakistan, stating, "We fund education in Pakistan, yet we disavow responsibility for what that education teaches. That is unacceptable."

Ruissen highlighted a recent inquiry to the European Commission, which confirmed that EU taxpayers' money had been provided to "religious seminaries." This is taken to refer to madrassas, where young boys are radicalized, and where much of the leadership of the Taliban were educated. He called for parliamentary action, asserting, "The EU must integrate these concerns into the upcoming GSP+ review. We cannot subsidize hate and exclusion."

The event concluded with a statement by Fautré summarizing the panel's recommendations. He urged the United Nations and European institutions to require legal and curricular reforms in Pakistan, protect educators and students from coercion, and ensure aid aligns with international norms. "Education must empower—not divide," he stated.

The gathering was well-attended by diplomats, NGOs, and members of civil society, and concluded with a brief Q&A session. Participants highlighted a consensus that conditionality, accountability, and transparency must underpin future EU engagement with Pakistan, especially in light of the upcoming GSP+ review in 2025.

This event underscores the urgent need for the international community to address human rights violations in Pakistan and to ensure that development aid and trade privileges are earned, and not given as a right.

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