Hawwa Niyaz

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT HAWWA NIYAZ

Hawwa Niyaz is a 20 year old changemakeHER passionate about mental health, climate change and the development of youth and wāhine toa. She is a proud kiwi-Muslim and is breaking the barrier of singular stories. She loves to share knowledge and wisdom from her religion and culture. Originally from the Maldives (the flattest and lowest country in the world), she first hand understands the very real and very negative effects of climate change and its implications such as rising water levels. As someone who always believes in the people and the power that we have on our actions and their effects, she is driven by meaningful work and the passion to not only create the world that she envisions, filling the gaps that she sees, but to also empower others to do the same.As an advocate, speaker, and volunteer she has won awards, run events, and was gifted a plaque in Ōtautahi. As a co-head, she furthered the work of the Students Against Sexual Harm student movement after her school\'s sexual harassment survey sparked societal conversations, leading to invitations into policy-conversation spaces, engagement to begin an organisation-affiliated group for rangatahi, and more. A highlight of her advocacy was speaking at the Police Commissioner\'s Awards for Operation Deans (March 15th), which she provided youth feedback to the Royal Commission of Inquiry about, in relation to safety/inclusivity.She completed her final year of high school as Head Prefect at Christchurch Girls\' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora as well as Student Representative on the Board of Trustees, and is now in her fourth year of university at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington studying a conjoint Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts majoring in International Relations and Political Science. She founded the Beautiful Light Nurzainah Charitable Trust focused on diversity and promoting social cohesion in Aotearoa, is Head of Engagement at Thursdays in Black Victoria University of Wellington, is on the YWCA Aotearoa/NZ National Board, was part of the Y25 of 2022 and the Y25 Selection Panel of 2023, was one of two New Zealand delegates helping to amend the YWCA World Constitution, and has recently provided insights for the creation of a White Paper on New Zealand foreign policy approaches.