On the 20th March, I was given the privilege of visiting the Foreign Office in London to take part in an advocacy campaign for free, equal and universal girls’ education. With 10 other young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, we will form part of a youth advisory panel to the Girls’ Education Department in the Foreign Office, which will consult regularly over the course of the next year on different policy decisions. 

Inside the Foreign Office building, remnants of our colonial past are plastered everywhere, making this ornate and grand institution feel very uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the Foreign Office is working well to recognise its past and embrace a more respectful future, and from our conversations with key officials and ministers (such as Helen Grant, the Envoy for Girls’ Education), they seem very keen to put equality and diversity at the heart of their global education policy, one of the key aims of the advisory panel. However, the surroundings certainly raised questions as to the suitability of a colonial office for a modern government department. 

In the coming months, we will be working more closely with the Foreign Office to gain experience working in the institution and promote an agenda of sustainable and equal education for all around the world. As always, I have the amazing and hard-working Miss Shah to thank for this completely unique and privileged opportunity!