The Savera UK Youth Advisory Board has recently launched its own Instagram platform, @SaveraUKYouth. The members of the Youth Advisory Board offer a youth perspective on everything that Savera UK does. They will be in charge of this Instagram platform, which will set a bold, new tone for discussing the human rights and gender equality issues that Savera UK campaigns against. This Instagram page will exist as a separate entity to Savera UK’s main social media channels, with its focus being to specifically engage with the younger generation.
The account educates others about what is at stake with FGM, ‘honour’-based abuse, and child/forced marriage and will problematise the unfounded ‘justifications’ and myths that are used as excuses to perpetrate these harmful practices. It does so in order to inspire, activate, and empower the younger generation to #speakout about such issues. Members of the Youth Advisory Board will personally introduce themselves on this Instagram channel, explaining why they speak out about— and engage in thought-provoking discussions and debates around — these issues. We aim to lead by example: If we can speak out, as young people, so can you.
The Savera UK Youth Instagram page will also feature original, thought-provoking images and live talks and videos featuring survivors of harmful practices, as well as content from Savera UK’s celebrity ambassadors, including Maya Jama. All of these voices speaking out on our Instagram channel will collectively educate, inspire and motivate other young people to #speakout and make change.
At Savera UK Youth, we invest our energy into the eradication of harmful practices every day. Yet to incite real and effective change, we need more voices. We need more people to speak out with us, until there is no more FGM, ‘honour’-based abuse or child/forced marriage.So, follow @SaveraUKYouth and use the hashtag #ImSpeakingOut to speak out against harmful practices with the Youth Advisory Board, our survivor and celebrity ambassadors, and other influencers who are also passionate about eradicating harmful practices.
By Isabella Rooke-Ley, Savera UK Youth Chair