Fatima Elzahra Ismail
YVA Women Forum President - Biography.
Fatima Elzahra Ismail is a youth advocate and peer researcher at University College Dublin. She has advocated for many issues, including but not limited to addressing poverty and combating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to promoting gender equality, advocating for quality education, and raising awareness about mental health. She has collaborated with organisations such as UNICEF, the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), the Health Service Executive, the National Youth Council of Ireland, spunout, and The Shona Project. Additionally, she has experience in policy development on both a national and international level.
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Skills:
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Leadership:
Led and coordinated initiatives within committees and panels at a local, national, and international level.
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Media and Content Creation:
Utilised creative skills, producing impactful articles, and videos, and hosting workshops.
Experience.
2023 - Present
Spunout, Dublin
Youth Leader.​
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Nominated to the National Action Panel and actively contribute to Spunout’s mission to support and empower all young people in Ireland.
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Member of the BAME (Black, Asian, Minority, and Ethnic) Panel, bringing diverse perspectives to the forefront.
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Nominated for People, Quality, Safety Board Subcommittee to monitor child protection policies and ensure the highest standards are maintained.
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Took part in a COP28 campaign, focusing on the impacts of the climate crisis on the Global South through an article and a video. Achieved 826,000 views for the video.
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Participated in a HIV catchup focus group with Health Service Executive, providing free vaccination opportunities for specific groups of people.
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Engaged in a collaborative focus group with the Department of Justice, exploring public perspectives on fireworks for comprehensive insights.
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Other campaigns: addressing microagressions and tackling the housing crisis.
2022 – Present
Shona Project, Waterford
Secretary and Senior Ambassador
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Nominated as a Junior Ambassador in 2022 at Bishopstown Community School.
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Graduated to Senior Ambassador, one of three individuals to achieve this distinction for the first time.
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Spoke on national radio station (TodayFM), addressing women’s issues, particularly focusing on anxiety.
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Serve as the Secretary, managing attendance and taking notes/minutes during Junior Ambassador meetings.
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Mentorship programme focus group.