Meet the UNICEF Youth Advocacy Champions!
Four Malaysian youth selected to be part of the UNICEF Youth Led Action Initiative.
The Youth-Led Action Initiative
The UNICEF Adolescents and Youth team launched the Youth-Led Action Initiative to support young people in becoming change-makers. This initiative encourages young individuals to take proactive steps towards change by demanding "a seat at the table" and by actively participating in their own lives and communities. We aim to empower young people to lead the way in effecting positive change for themselves and their communities, ultimately striving for a better world for all children.
The East Asia and Pacific Region provides unique challenges and opportunities for innovative and impactful solutions. The Youth-Led Action Initiative conducted its second regional workshop to train youth advocates on the Youth Advocacy Guide (YAG), on 11-15th September 2023 at UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand. Four Malaysian youth were selected to participate, along with other young people from 13 countries. Read on to meet them!
Meet the Malaysian Youth Advocacy Champions
Khairiah Hannah
Khairiah Hannah is a 17-year-old Malaysian with a deep passion for Mental Health Awareness. She regularly engages in various initiatives with NGOs (including participation in the UNICEF Young Leaders Programme) with an aim to create positive change in the field of mental health. Her approach is interesting and realistic; seeking to amplify the voices of young people and making a difference.
With her preference for leading from the shadows, she has been offering her support and empathy to those going through challenging times. Khairiah's efforts are focused towards improving mental health literacy and resilience among children in Malaysia. She is excited to collaborate with a diverse and intelligent group of youth advocates.
Benjamin Chay
Benjamin Chay is a compassionate, medical student aspiring to become a psychiatrist. A student of the International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, this enthusiastic and sociable 18-year-old enjoys great conversations with like-minded individuals discussing and exploring tales and stories of passion.
Benjamin is eager to begin working with his fellow UNICEF Young Leaders to conduct activities for underprivileged and marginalized children in four thematic areas: Mental Health, Education, Climate Action, and Child Protection. If you don’t catch him reading the daily paper or searching for new books to latch on to, he’s most likely out playing basketball or busy figuring out the suitable amount of weights to lift at the gym.
Leo Shu Min
Leo Shu Min is a Youth- Environment Facilitator at the United Nations Development Programme Malaysia. In her role, she leads the Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL) programme, focusing on empowering youth to actively participate in addressing climate change through innovative community engagement programs and educational initiatives.
She is dedicated to creating a sustainable and inclusive future at both local and global levels, inspiring others to join the journey along the way. Shu Min holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations with Spanish from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, which she completed in 2022.
Aidil Iman
Aidil Iman is a 24-year-old climate justice activist based in Malaysia whose areas of advocacy focus on youth empowerment, green politics, and environmental justice. Aidil founded his own environmental movement called Kolektif Iklim which aims to synergise the intersection of climate action and biodiversity protection.
His activism led him to be a YSEALI Academic Fellow on Environmental Issues. He spent five weeks in Hawaii with the East-West Center learning about environmental leadership and community engagement. He is also currently studying International and Strategic Studies with a Specialisation in Environmental Studies at the University of Malaya. Aidil was recently appointed as a Youth Climate Champions Consultant at UNICEF Malaysia where his efforts are appreciated for the agency's Climate and Environment advocacy strategies.
What’s Next?
Having participated in a week-long training with peers from the region, the four Youth Advocacy Champions will be conducting trainings at community level to build the capacity of young people on advocacy in the coming months. The peer to peer approach aims to bridge the gap of learning, while actively adopting an experiential learning method. The exchange of experience with peers provide an avenue for young people to learn from each other and inspire their own advocacy journey. While the YAG training can be used universally, the Youth Advocacy Champions will be focusing on thematic areas of Mental Health and Climate Change. The YAG Training guide is currently available in English but a BM version is coming soon so watch this space!
After completing the training sessions, at least one youth-led advocacy project will be implemented with a competitive seed grant. The Youth Advocacy Champions will receive mentorship from UNICEF on specific thematic areas.
To find out more about the programme and the Youth Advocacy Champions, follow us on social media and our website.
Download the YAG training guide to be a youth champion!
