The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) East and Southern Africa Regional Office has announced the appointment of Botlhale Boikanyo as its new Regional International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth Champion.

Botlhale Boikanyo is an award‑winning South African poet, actress, speaker and youth advocate whose journey from becoming the first poet and youngest winner of South Africa’s Got Talent at the age of 11 has evolved into a powerful platform for youth empowerment and social change. As founder of the Botlhale Boikanyo Foundation, she has dedicated her work to amplifying young voices, championing education and self‑expression, and inspiring a new generation of African changemakers through the power of storytelling.

A voice for youth empowerment

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will work alongside UNFPA to amplify the voices of young people across East and Southern Africa and advocate for accelerated action towards achieving the commitments of the ICPD Programme of Action. Her role will focus on advancing bodily autonomy, gender equality, access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, and meaningful youth participation in decision‑making processes.

For UNFPA, young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. Their voices, experiences and innovations are essential in building the Africa we want.

Speaking on her appointment, Botlhale 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.”

A critical moment for Africa’s youth

The appointment comes at a pivotal time. 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.

Botlhale 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 futures.

Driving change through advocacy

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will use her energetic presence and platform to engage with young people, policymakers, civil society and development partners. Her advocacy will focus on investments and policies that uphold the rights, dignity and potential of every young person.

Her appointment underscores UNFPA’s commitment to ensuring that youth voices remain central to sustainable development across East and Southern Africa.

👉 Learn more about UNFPA and the ICPD Programme of Action.