UU student Mariam Ikassrien among finalists for UN youth representative
'Young people need to be given a place in UN decision-making'
58 / 5,000 Mariam Ikassrien wants to become a UN youth representative. Photo: courtesy of the student
UN youth representatives are committed to representing the interests of young people for two years. They do this by giving guest lectures, speaking at conferences and talking to young people. There are seven representatives dedicated to four topics: Biodiversity and Food, European Affairs, Sustainable Development, and Human Rights & Security. Mariam is running for the latter category. Emma Kamans, a Master's student in Utrecht, is running as well for the European Affairs category (see box below).
Mariam's idea to run for office did not come out of the blue. She had previously joined one of the youth panel's working groups. "I also wanted to become a youth representative at the time, but I didn't speak the language very well yet. I joined a working group at the time, but I had to stop because of mental health issues." The desire to represent young people did not go away, so she decided to join MindUs, an organisation that works to improve young people's mental health.
Ready for major topics
Through MindUs, she spoke at big conferences and even met the Dutch Queen, Máxima, who is the honorary chair of the foundation, three times. “Thanks to MindUs, I've learned what codes and language to use when talking to policymakers. Now, I know how to make demands as a young person. This year, I thought: 'I am ready to tackle major topics now.'”
These three major topics close to her heart are inequality of opportunity, mental health and youth participation. The interest was sparked by her personal experiences. “I have always felt as though I had to put my Moroccan side aside and perform better than others. Teachers only believed in me when I got an eight or higher. This constant pressure to perform ended up causing mental health problems.” And with struggling mental health, she fell behind in her studies. “I often wonder what would have happened if I had been given more opportunities.”
During her campaign, Mariam noticed she was behind in certain areas. “I came to the Netherlands when I was a bit older, so I don’t have that big of a network." She laughs before adding the following: "Yes, the queen is in my network, but she’s not the right person for this.” To recruit votes, Mariam is taking to the streets to talk to young people. She is also campaigning through videos on Instagram and TikTok. “I talked to the Member of Parliament Esmah Lahlah (GroenLinks-PvdA) recently about inequality and identity, and a video of our conversation will be online soon."
Inspiring study
In addition to her experiences, she is inspired by her study of Educational Sciences. “One of my professors, Micha de Winter, advocates a pedagogy of hope, in which children learn to look hopefully to the future and accept that the world's problems are part of our existence. I want to pass this vision forward to other young people and show them that they can fight for their human rights.” Cultural Diversity is another inspiring topic. “Many of my plans and positions are based on the lectures of Paul Leseman and Bodine Romijn, among others.”
A dream
Mariam has many plans she would like to implement if she won the contest. “The first thing I want to do is seek out the voices of young people we often do not hear from. I am usually the only person of colour at youth participation events, so I want to ensure that young people we hear less about also participate in the meetings and guest lectures.”
In addition, she dreams of having an impact on a larger scale. “If I could change one thing about the UN, I would give young people a place in decision-making.” She was inspired by an interview with a youth activist who said that "youth participation often means that young people can come along to share their story, but that in the end nothing is done with their opinion. That is am asking for a chance to sit at the table.”
What is her biggest dream for the future? “In an ideal situation, that half of the attendees present in the decision-making process are young people.”
Do you want to vote for Mariam? You can do it from October 5 to October 12 at 3:30 PM. All you have to do is click this link.
UU Master's student Emma Kamans is a finalist in the running for youth representative for European Affairs
Mariam is not the only UU student running for a spot at the UN. Emma Kamans (22), who is pursuing a Master's in Economic Policy at UU, is also in the final to become a youth representative. She is participating in the European Affairs category. Emma is a European Union enthusiast and wants to convey that as a youth representative. "For many people, the EU is something unknown or distant. That is a shame, so if I become a youth representative, I would like to tackle this." She also believes that the EU should listen to young people better. "The average age in the European Parliament is 50. So there is certainly a need for young people's voices. After all, the decisions concern all of us, young or old." You can vote for Emma from October 5 to October 12, 3:30 PM, using this link.