The UN Secretary
YAG
Youth Advocacy Group
Strengthening momentum and increasing support for the Global Education First Initiative
The YAG members
Abigail /Zambia
Anusheh /Pakistan
A champion of social and economic change. She completed her education with support from Camfed, a nonprofit organization that funds girls’ education. She has expertise on leadership and mentoring, filmmaking, entrepreneurship and human rights. Abigail is also a founding member, camerawoman and co-director for the Samfya Women Filmmakers—a group of rural women who advocate through film for social change.
A youth advocate working for the improvement of education in Pakistan through an integration program which allows her to channel the potentials of youth from elite schools to improve education in public schools. Anusheh is also a member of US–Pak Lahore Youth council; providing advice to the US government on practical solutions to the issues that Pakistani youth face today.
Chernor /Sierra Leone Anna /Moldova A youth advocate educating young people about sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV prevention and healthy lifestyles through Y-PEER. She coordinates peer to peer educators around Moldova who inform more than 10,000 youth about SRHR issues every year. She also participated in the Regional Consultations for Europe and Central Asia on the Post-2015 Development Agenda regarding inclusive education for youth.
A youth advocate and former refugee. He is the youth representative on the High Level Steering Committee for GEFI and Chair of the Youth Advocacy Group. Chernor founded and led the Children’s Forum Network, Sierra Leone’s children parliament. He holds a Master’s Degree in Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Sierra Leone.
Cheryl /Canada
Dina /Jordan and Palestine
An accomplished international children’s rights activist, motivational speaker and Founder and President of OneChild, the premier organization empowering a movement of children and youth taking action against the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Cheryl actively addresses global audiences and has spoken to over 62,000 individuals.
Passionate and active in the fields of informal education, social justice and politics. She works with the Arab Foundation for Sustainable Development “Ruwwad” to empower marginalized communities through youth activism, civic engagement and education. She is the founder of Tahweeleh initiative— ‘detour’ in Arabic—an attempt at creating a path for informal learning within schools.
David /United Kingdom A youth advocate and expert in child rights, youth engagement/representation and international development. David works to advise local and central government on the impact of legislative proposals on children’s rights in the UK within the UN framework, and works with Plan International on education, health and inequalities in developing countries, with a specific focus on girls and women.
Dejan /Serbia An activist who is building his expertise in the field of European educational and youth policies. He has a mandate as a Board member at the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions to represent the voice of European school students and to work to improve the quality of educational systems, school democracy and the lives of school students in Europe.
Esther /South Africa A Master’s student in Educational Planning and Policy at the University of Cape Town and involved with improving equality in education. She has engaged with school children at the grassroots level as a part-time teacher in impoverished communities throughout Africa and a full-time teacher at Claremont High School, a school aimed at empowering underprivileged learners. As a World Innovation Summit for Education Learners’ Voice member, she is designing an educational arts program for children in conflict zones.
Gaoshan /China
Joseph /DR Congo
A Global Health Teaching Associate and Master’s Candidate at Duke University, USA. He is dedicated to connecting health with education and strengthening student interest-oriented education systems in developing countries. Previously, he co-founded the 360 Youth Development Education Initiative, which promotes education innovation locally, and directed the China Youth Network, which advocates for youth sexual and reproductive health and rights in China.
A former refugee who, at the age of 14, co-founded COBURWAS to unite and educate the refugee youth from Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan. COBURWAS supports children in primary, secondary and tertiary levels and has launched initiatives like COBURWAS primary school, anti-violence, young women’s empowerment, agricultural/ collective farming and small business development/vocational training.
Hayley /Australia An Aboriginal youth advocate and expert on indigenous education and indigenous leadership training. To overcome indigenous disadvantage Hayley believes there has to be a focus on closing the knowledge gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Her vision is to see every school in Australia teach local indigenous history. Hayley is also a UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador.
Jamira /USA A young leader and advocate for authentic youth engagement, comprehensive education reform, civic participation and violence prevention. Currently, she works as the Executive Director for the City of Philadelphia Youth Commission and she holds a number of leadership positions both locally and internationally.
Luiz /Brazil A Human Rights activist, Luiz first created Lute Sem Fronteiras, an NGO that works with the sustainable development of poor communities in Brazilian Amazon, empowering locals through projects about citizenship, health, education and social entrepreneurship. Luiz studies Law and Public Politics and works with political participation in Rio de Janeiro and with access to quality education in Brazil.
Nina /Cameroon A youth advocate and expert on environmental sustainability, youth development and women and girls’ rights, Nina works with the Synergies of Actions for Development and Education for All to provide equal rights and opportunities to disadvantaged communities. She has successfully promoted the rights of 1,500 girls to have access to education, health services and social inclusion.
Rolando Jr. /Philippines
Sumaya /India
A youth leader who has been involved with the Persons with Disabilities sector through special and inclusive education since 2008. He works as the Founding Adviser of the Ten Outstanding Persons with Disabilities of Negros Oriental Alumni Community, and pursues his Master’s Degree in Special and Inclusive Education in three European universities under the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Program.
A peer educator and trainer who is a full time staff member of YP Foundation since 2007 under the Blending Spectrum Program. Her expertise is on sexual and reproductive health, rights, education and life skills, community development, child participation and protection, active citizenship and governance, advocacy and youth and community mobilization.
Salathiel / Burundi A student at Harvard University who, at the age of 15, co-founded the the Association of Burundian Orphans to advocate for educational opportunities for orphans. In 2012, he co-founded YouthGlobe, a non-profit organization that provides platforms for young Burundians to create value in their communities through cooperation and innovation for a better Burundi.
The Youth Advocacy Group (YAG) is a group of young leaders from around the world who strengthen momentum and increase support for the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI).
The YAG moves forward GEFI’s three main priorities—putting every child in school, improving the quality of learning and fostering global citizenship—amongst their networks and partners by: 1.
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Facilitating consultations with other youth globally and in their countries and regions.
Promoting the priorities and voices of young people in the advocacy messages and activities of GEFI.
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Providing strategic advice on the education priorities of young people.
Mobilizing young people and governments to make pledges in support of education and hold them accountable to their commitments.
Contact yag.gefi@gmail.com /TheYouthAdvocacyGroup @GEFI_Youth www.globaleducationfirst.org