Youth Power in action

Afrah is a law graduate from India. As a young researcher and campaigner, she cares about child rights, gender justice, digital access, and the labour movement. When she is not mobilising for these causes, you can find her mobilising her friends to catch a movie or check out new places around her city! 

Aminata Savané is a passionate change agent dedicated to the digital education of women, youth and children in her community. To this end, she recently co-authored the web usage guide for teens and young people to help make the Internet a safer place for them.

Winner of the Women’s Leadership Award, our changemaker has contributed to the leadership development and digital inclusion of over 500 young girls and women in Côte d’Ivoire with the Centre MARée de LUmière, where she holds the position of General Secretary. What’s more, her actions on behalf of women, young people and children in the digital field have earned her the recent appointment by UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire as one of the authorized voices to carry the voice of children, adolescents and young people even higher on digital education issues in Côte d’Ivoire as a UNICEF Young Advocate. Her activism contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal No. 4: access to quality education (for children).

Isabelle Santos is a political scientist and activist from Brazil. Combining her academic background and advocacy skills, over the last decade, she has dedicated herself to developing projects in sustainability, human rights, and youth political participation. She has worked on initiatives such as developing public policies for early childhood, supporting United Nations Population Fund campaigns on teenage pregnancy prevention, and represented Brazil at the Global Youth Forum and the United People Global Sustainability Leadership Program. Isabelle currently serves as an advisor in the Coordination of Public Policies for Children and Adolescents at the Federal District Justice Secretariat and is a member of the Mercociudades Children’s Working Group.
Her journey expresses a collective dream, built within various youth organizations, to create a society where children are loved and their rights are upheld.

Johnkeen’s journey began with a childhood accident that left him with a permanent impairment. Despite a physical impairment and limited resources, Johnkeen has become a powerful advocate for education and inclusion for children with impairment in Kenya. His experience with discrimination ignited his desire to be a change agent. He actively participates in various initiatives Johnkeen founded Wheels 4 Trees CBO to help champion for climate justice and disability agenda in Kenya and is part of the Kanyaika Amazing Youth Group

I was born in Cusco, the second region in Peru with the most cases of children and adolescents without family protection. I decided to study law and social sciences and later decided to specialise in International Relations because I believe that a problem as transversal as childhood violence requires the joint support of countries, international organizations, local governments, activists and civil society. My motivation is to achieve a world where children are not afraid to go home or talk to their parents, a city where children don’t have to hide their bruises or shut up their tears to avoid further beatings and a home where the child has the courage to tell that he has survived an act of violence because he knows he is not alone.

Kisha German is a young leader, practicing data scientist, and STEM advocate from Malawi.  She is committed to advancing STEM and uplifting young women in Malawi through advocacy, mentorship, education, and community programs with local youth-led NGOs. Her leadership efforts have earned her recognition as a Woman@Dior Mentee, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) participant, and Hult Prize Director for MUBAS in 2022.

As a firm believer in the adage “We rise by lifting others,” Kisha is deeply committed to addressing the alarmingly high rates of child violence in Malawi, where one in five girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence, often repeatedly. She aims to use her platforms and passion for social justice to help end child violence in Malawi.

Marie Mokuba is a 23-year-old Congolese-American human rights advocate dedicated to promoting gender equality, youth empowerment, and social justice globally. With a master’s in Gender and Peacebuilding from the renowned University for Peace in Costa Rica, Marie draws upon her lived experience as a survivor of childhood violence to fuel her unwavering commitment to these causes. Marie’s intersectional approach, combining academic rigor with on-the-ground experience, positions her as a vital voice and catalyst for sustainable social change benefiting the world’s most vulnerable.

Growing up in a little small rural town in the Western part of Zimbabwe, education was a treasure locked away for the privileged few and textbooks a far-fetched dream. But my parents, with love above all circumstances, sacrificed everything so I could get enough knowledge. And under the light of a settling sun, fuelled by an insatiable curiosity and a fire in my gut for justice, I devoured every borrowed novel I could get my hands on. A chance encounter with the feminist writings of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie changed my whole perspective on how I view the world. Suddenly, the world was not as perfect as I thought it was. Now, I navigate the hallowed halls of law school, my voice finding its strength amongst those who once seemed to belong to a different world. Law isn’t just a path I walk; it’s a weapon I wield against the injustices that have always simmered beneath the surface. The intricacies of the criminal justice system ignite a passion within me, but it’s the fight for the rights of the voiceless that truly sets my soul ablaze. I have spent some time now being part of change-making groups ready to give back rights and power to the vulnerable groups of society by challenging social norms. These have been my battlegrounds. Yet, the journey doesn’t end there. In the vulnerability of children, I see echoes of my own past. Now, I stand as their champion, determined to dismantle the very systems that perpetuate the inequalities I once strived to escape. My fight for justice is a journey – from the dusty villages that birthed my dreams to the hallowed halls where I now fight for them. I advocate for a world where every voice, regardless of its origin, finds its echo in the law.

As a development expert  passionate about improving the living conditions of people from undesirable to desirable conditions. I love working to bring a positive change and hope in the lives of others. I possess a lifelong desire to help vulnerable people through advocacy, empowerment and structural enhancement. Being a survivor of violence at a tender age shaped my zeal to demand for a fair and just world where all forms of children are protected. 

Bryanna Mariñas is a young researcher and advocate from the Philippines, dedicated to ending violence against children. As one of ten Youth Mobilisers with Restless Development, she accelerates progress on policy change and practice in child protection at both national and regional levels. Currently completing her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Yale-NUS College, Bryanna has also been working as a Program Development Assistant and Content Developer — adapting Parenting for Lifelong Health programs (Masayang Pamilya Teens) in her country to better serve Filipino families. Her work is deeply rooted in the belief that child safety and welfare must begin at home, and she is passionate about using storytelling to amplify the voices of survivors and inspire hope and healing. This November, Bryanna and her fellow Youth Mobilisers will lead the launch of the first-ever Global Youth-Led Movement on Ending Violence Against Children — fueled by the urgent need for youth leadership and engagement in addressing childhood violence and the vision of a world where every child can thrive without fear.