Young activist advocates for child rights at high-level UN meeting

At just 16 years old, Yaru, a remarkable young leader from Battambang province, Cambodia, recently represented her country at a high-level United Nations meeting in New York City. This significant opportunity was made possible by World Vision International, a leading child-focused humanitarian organization.

As a World Vision Youth Club Leader and team leader of her high school’s student council, Yaru was invited to deliver a powerful presentation on ending violence against children during the midterm review of the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction.

During her address, Yaru detailed her extensive work in promoting positive parenting within her community, highlighting the critical need for supportive environments both at home and in school. Her passion for advocating children’s rights stems from her own challenging experiences. “When my parents got divorced when I was 12 years old, I underwent a very tough period. I joined the World Vision Youth Club to keep myself from thinking about all the bad things that happened at home. After attending its weekly life skills sessions and doing many community service-learning projects, I transformed from an unmotivated and depressed person to an open-minded, understanding, and determined person,” she shared.

Championing Girls’ Rights

One year after her impactful presentation at the UN, Yaru continues to be a fervent advocate for children’s rights. She recently traveled to Malaysia to participate in World Vision Malaysia’s annual 1,000 Girls campaign, aimed at finding sponsors for 1,000 girls by 11 October, the International Day of the Girl.

The campaign’s kickoff event, “She Matters,” held at The Gardens Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, featured Yaru as a key speaker. She passionately emphasized the potential of girls when given the right opportunities and reiterated her commitment to raising awareness about the importance of positive parenting.

“I want to be more than a youth leader in my community. I want to bring attention to issues that affect children, particularly girls, to other communities as well,” Yaru stated. Her advocacy work is supported by notable figures such as Andrew Morley, President and CEO of World Vision International, and Terry Leong, CEO of World Vision Malaysia. Both leaders lauded Yaru’s efforts and highlighted the significant impact of the World Vision Child Sponsorship Programme in nurturing young advocates like her.

Terry Leong expressed hope that Yaru’s journey and dedication would inspire other youths to engage deeply with issues affecting girls and women globally. “Yaru also represents someone we can all be – an advocate for children,” Leong noted.

World Vision Malaysia continues to support development programmes that equip youths with the skills and platforms to voice and execute their ideas confidently and intelligently.