Dear AICSES members,
My name is Simrah, and I am a student at the University of Toronto studying Immunology and Physiology with a minor in English. I am honoured to stand as a candidate for the Youth position on the Board of Directors and for consideration within the Global Delegation. My commitment to human rights is both deeply personal and profoundly political. As a racialised woman, I have seen firsthand how systems fail those made most vulnerable, how injustice shows up not just in headlines, but in hospitals, classrooms, borders, and everyday life. These experiences have shaped my belief that human rights work must begin with listening, must be rooted in compassion, and must remain accountable to the people most affected.
Over the past year, I have had the privilege of working with Amnesty’s Gender Rights Team, where I have supported intersectional feminist advocacy and contributed to campaigns centred on sexual and reproductive rights. It has been one of the most meaningful spaces I have been part of, grounded in collective care and focused on real, tangible change.
Beyond Amnesty, my advocacy extends across health, equity, and policy. With the Women’s Health Coalition, I have worked on campaigns for accessible reproductive healthcare. At Hemoglobal, I have supported global efforts to provide life-saving blood transfusions to children in low-resource settings. Through Medical Makers, I have helped design low-cost health innovations, and with Engineers Without Borders, I engage in advocacy and policy work that targets structural inequities from a systems-level perspective.
In every space I enter—whether it be organising on campus, advocating for migrant rights, or working in health equity—I carry with me the stories and struggles that have shaped my own. I believe that young people bring a necessary urgency and clarity to human rights work. We are not just the future; we are the present, and our voices matter now.
If selected, I would approach this role with care, humility, and deep responsibility. I am excited to contribute to Amnesty’s mission in a way that reflects both critical analysis and heartfelt commitment, and to help build a movement that is bold, inclusive, and rooted in justice.
In solidarity,
Simrah
