Global Health PhD Student to represent Canadian youth as the 2024 Canadian Youth Delegate to the 77th World Health Assembly and 61st Pan-American Health Organization Directing Council

Each year the World Health Organization (WHO) holds the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) holds the Pan American Health Organization Directing Council (PAHO DC). The 76th World Health Assembly will take place in Spring 2023 and the 60th PAHO-DC will take place in Autumn 2023. These meetings are some of the largest health policy setting events, as they bring together health ministers and health representatives from the 194 World Health Organization (WHO) member states for WHA, and the 35 Member States in the Americas region for the PAHO-DC.

This year, PhD student Aisha Barkhad will represent Canadian youth as a delegate. At WHA, she is looking forward to participating in negotiations of resolutions related to youth such as artificial intelligence, society and gender, human rights, and our planet. She aims to report to Canadian youth on the implementation of the agenda set at WHA to discuss what has been decided and promote strategies for addressing gaps. At PAHO-DC, she will represent and engage youth voices in meetings and formal/informal negotiations involving conversations on various health topics. Specific to youth, she will provide input on issues related to mental health effects of the pandemic; sexual and reproductive health and rights; youth-led campaigns at schools; and empowering youth voices for climate change advocacy.

Here is what she has to say about this incredible opportunity: “I feel so deeply honoured to have been chosen to represent Canadian youth as the Canadian Youth Delegate in 2024! It is an incredible privilege, and a very unique opportunity to be able to create an inclusive community of diverse minds here in Canada, in the Americas, and around the globe. To me, representing Canadian youth means not only championing youth voices, but also ensuring that no one is left behind. As their representative, I will balance my understanding of global issues with a strong connection to the concerns and ambitions of Canadian youth, to promote a healthier and more equitable world.”

Congratulations Aisha and best of luck!

See here for more information about the program.