Alya is a third-year student in International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University, with a binational background—half Iranian and half German. Their commitment to human rights began early, joining PLAN International’s “Youth Advocates” at the age of sixteen to campaign for the rights of young refugees in Germany and across Europe. Academically, Alya has focused on migration and Middle Eastern politics, with particular interest in the roles of ethnic minorities and women in civil conflicts.