Commission to provide €30 million to support civil society and education opportunities for the people of Belarus

The European Commission has adopted a new assistance programme worth €30 million to further support the people of Belarus. It brings the total of EU support mobilised since 2020 to €170 million. 

The newly adopted assistance programme “EU4People of Belarus: Strengthen Human Rights and Education” aims to preserve an independent civic space and support unbiased quality education opportunities for Belarusians. 

It will support Belarusian civil society and independent media to preserve a civic space enabling a diversity of views, protect people’s fundamental rights and provide objective information to citizens despite the continuing repressions and censorship in the country. 

In addition, the programme will support students and professionals, with a specific focus on women, in accessing modern quality education, training and learning opportunities via scholarship programmes, online courses, and support to independent educational institutions. 

As with previous assistance, this programme has been developed following regular consultations with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society to identify the needs of the people of Belarus. This ongoing dialogue allows the EU to respond swiftly to the changing needs on the ground.

This programme adds to the €140 million mobilised by the EU since 2020 in six key areas- civil society, human rights, independent media, education, culture, SMEs in exile. 

An overview of EU support to the people of Belarus can be found here.