The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) East and Southern Africa Regional Office has appointed Botlhale Boikanyo as its new Regional International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth Champion.
Who is Botlhale Boikanyo
Botlhale Boikanyo is an award-winning South African poet, actress, speaker, and youth advocate. She became the first poet and youngest winner of South Africa’s Got Talent at age 11. She is the founder of the Botlhale Boikanyo Foundation, which works on youth empowerment, education, and self-expression through storytelling.
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Role as Regional ICPD Youth Champion
In the role, Botlhale Boikanyo will work with UNFPA to represent young people across East and Southern Africa and support the commitments of the ICPD Programme of Action. Her focus areas include bodily autonomy, gender equality, access to sexual and reproductive health services, and youth participation in decision-making processes. UNFPA describes young people as central to sustainable development in the region, stating that their voices and experiences are needed in shaping policy.
Botlhale Boikanyo’s statement
On her appointment, Botlhale Boikanyo said:
“My hope and dream is to live in a world where every young person, especially women and girls, has the freedom and opportunities to shape their own future and is included in the rooms where decisions about their lives are made. Being a UNFPA Champion is another step towards turning that vision into reality. It is an opportunity to amplify the voices of young people through storytelling across our region, and advocate for investments that uphold the rights, dignity, well-being and potential of every young person everywhere.”
The appointment comes at a critical moment for the region, where young people in Africa constitute a significant share of the global youth population of 1.9 billion and are leading transformative efforts in their communities. Yet many continue to face barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and opportunities to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect their lives. She believes that storytelling is a catalyst for social change and that young people must not only be heard, but meaningfully included in shaping the decisions that affect their lives and futures.
As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Boikanyo will use her energetic presence and platform to engage with young people, policymakers, civil society, and development partners to advocate for investments and policies that uphold the rights, dignity, and potential of every young person.
