14yo Zunaira Qayyum joins UNICEF as youth advocate

Teenager Zunaira Qayyum has been appointed as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund’s (Unicef) Youth Advocate for Climate Action and Girls’ Empowerment.

Zunaira has represented Pakistan at global forums, including COP29. Her research on climate change-induced floods affecting girls’ education in Hub won the Unicef Policy Research Challenge in 2023. Using UNICEF’s Youth Advocacy Guide, she has trained young people in advocacy, research, and policy engagement.

Children in Pakistan face severe climate threats, with 26 million students affected by disasters like floods, heatwaves, and air pollution last year. In Punjab alone, toxic air led to school closures, impacting 16 million children.

Unicef Pakistan’s representative, Abdullah Fadil, praised Zunaira’s work, emphasizing the need to empower young voices to drive change. Her appointment aims to inspire more youth to take action for a sustainable future.