Afghan Youth Representative to the United Nations

Meet the 2026–2027 finalists

Final round · Candidate biographies

Portrait of Hilal Zakhilwal

Hilal Zakhilwal

Hilal Zakhilwal is an Afghan entrepreneur and human rights advocate. Through Let Her Learn and His Voice for Her Rights, he supports girls' education, mentorship, and gender equality in Afghanistan.

Portrait of Hilal Zakhilwal

Hilal Zakhilwal

Hilal Zakhilwal is an Afghan entrepreneur and human rights advocate based in Northern California. He studies international relations and psychology at the University of California, Davis, and holds an associate degree in Global Studies from American River College. His work brings together youth leadership, cross-cultural communication, and advocacy for educational access and gender equality.

As a Program Lead at Let Her Learn, Hilal supports education, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities for girls in Afghanistan. His contributions include live online classes, educational resources, outreach, and fundraising. He has guided more than 100 girls through college and scholarship applications and supported micro-grant programs aimed at financial independence. In April 2026, he founded His Voice for Her Rights, a Let Her Learn initiative that engages men and boys as allies in advancing girls' education and Afghan women's rights.

Hilal's professional experience spans business ownership, operations, finance, and team leadership in Afghanistan and the United States. He previously worked with the International Rescue Committee in Kabul and as an operations assistant and interpreter, translating between English, Dari, and Pashto.

At American River College, he served as Vice President of the Afghan Student Association, participated in Model United Nations, and mentored Afghan students. His community involvement also includes volunteering with the Sacramento Immigrants Community. He is committed to connecting practical leadership with advocacy for global equity and opportunity.

Portrait of Hosai Ayobi

Hosai Ayobi

Hosai Ayobi is an Afghan law graduate, DAAD scholar, and founder of Qatra Foundation. Her advocacy focuses on education, women's rights, and opportunities for Afghan women and children.

Portrait of Hosai Ayobi

Hosai Ayobi

Hosai Ayobi is an Afghan law graduate of the American University of Afghanistan, a DAAD scholar, and an advocate for human rights and women's rights. Based in Dortmund, Germany, her work focuses on education, empowerment, and amplifying the voices of Afghan women and children.

She is the founder of Qatra Foundation, a nonprofit established in 2025 to support women and children in Afghanistan. Inspired by the experiences of women and girls facing injustice and barriers to their rights, Qatra works to expand access to education and create opportunities for greater independence. Hosai's mission includes helping women build economic independence and supporting children, including orphans, to return to classrooms.

At TU Dortmund University, Hosai works as a research and student assistant supporting programs and events for new and international students. She helps students navigate their academic journey in Germany, integrate into university life, and develop skills beyond the classroom. Previously, she worked as a program assistant with the Sixteenth Council, contributing to research, articles, and administrative work related to democracy and human rights.

Her earlier experience includes mentoring first-year students at the American University of Afghanistan, translation and teaching within a teacher-training project, and volunteering with ARCH International's Rumi Garden project in Iraq. With experience in public speaking, debate, management, and leadership, Hosai brings an education-centered approach to advocacy and positive social change.

Portrait of Zohra Wandaa

Zohra Wandaa

Zohra Wandaa is an Afghan humanitarian and migration practitioner, researcher, and refugee advocate. Her work focuses on forced displacement, social inclusion, and youth and refugee participation in policymaking.

Portrait of Zohra Wandaa

Zohra Wandaa

Zohra Wandaa is an Afghan humanitarian and migration practitioner and researcher, refugee advocate, and former United Nations staff member and journalist in Afghanistan. Her work focuses on forced displacement, refugee integration, social inclusion, youth and refugee participation, and the representation of affected communities in policy and decision-making.

Her professional experience spans Afghanistan and Germany and includes designing, coordinating and managing emergency response and displacement-related programmes, coordinating and conducting humanitarian needs assessments, managing education programmes for displaced women and girls, providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and engaging in refugee and human rights advocacy. As a member of the Afghanistan Youth Parliament, she contributed to youth representation and policy dialogue on education, employment, health, social development, gender equality and civic participation with government ministries and other stakeholders in Afghanistan.

Her current advocacy and policy engagement also address the situation in Afghanistan, including the rights and participation of women, youth and minorities, forced displacement and return, and the role of the Afghan diaspora in contributing to policy debates and international engagement on Afghanistan.

In Germany, she supports refugees and asylum seekers and serves as a member of the Refugee Advisory Board Germany and the Afghanistan Research Unit at the University of Freiburg, contributing to national and international discussions and research on refugee protection, participation, inclusion, and Afghanistan-related issues.

She holds a Master of Science in Project Management and a Master of Education, with continuing education in Circular and Return Migration Management at the University for Continuing Education Krems of Austria.