UN names PNG’s Pacific queen youth advocate

Miss Pacific Islands queen Leoshina Kariha says the pageant is a platform that develops women into leaders.
Kariha, named by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) as its youth advocate, said there was a synergy between what the Miss Pacific Islands and Miss Papua New Guinea pageants were doing.
“This is a role that more and more young people are taking up around the world to support Unicef’s work to advance the rights of children and young people,” she said.
“I am privileged to be the first Papua New Guinean to take up this role (which) resonates with what the Miss Pacific Islands and Miss Papua New Guinea pageants are all about.
“The pageants provide a platform to advance young women and develop them into leaders in fields such as medicine, law, health and agriculture.
“It encourages them to raise their voices on issues affecting their lives and islands, such as women empowerment, climate change and gender equality.
“As a cultural ambassador for the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea, I am humbled that I have been considered for such a prestigious role.
“Unicef stands for the rights and wellbeing of children, youth and women.
“These are our groups of the population whose voices are not heard enough and more needs to be done with them and for them.
“They need to be involved in discussions that affect them, because they may be able to see how they themselves can contribute ideas and innovative ways of doing things to help themselves.”