Sima: A day as Ambassador of the British Embassy
Sima, a Champion of Change member, recently stepped in as Ambassador of the British Embassy for a day, using her role to advocate for girls' rights and amplify youth voices. Today she is sharing her takeover story.
Hello, I’m Sima! I’m 17 years old, from Bardiya, and recently, I had the incredible chance to step into the role of Ambassador at the British Embassy as part of the #GirlsTakeover event. Here’s how my day unfolded and what it meant to me.
A new chapter in my activism journey
As a member of my local child club, I represent my province at national meetings, campaigning actively against child marriage and harmful practices. My journey started when I found a book on child rights at a nearby library, and since then, I’ve been passionate about gender equality and, more recently, climate change. I believe children like us should have a say on issues that affect our health, education, and environment. No one can silence us or ignore our voices.
Being Ambassador of the British Embassy
Before the event, I didn’t know much about embassies, their functions, or what an ambassador actually does. I was nervous with butterflies in my stomach before meeting H.E. Rob Fenn. But as soon as he greeted me warmly and addressed me as “Ambassador,” my nerves began to settle. Ahead of the day, I’d checked the British Embassy’s Facebook page and discovered that H.E. Rob was learning Nepali, and his favourite word was RangiChangi (Colourful). We had a laugh about teaching each other English and Nepali!
H.E. Rob Fenn shared, “Leadership has no gender. Yet girls are often denied the opportunity to show what kind of leaders they could become. The world cannot afford to squander their talent and potential.”
Shared interests with the Ambassador
Throughout the day, I realised that the Ambassador and I have a few things in common:
- A passion for child rights: We both strongly believe in advocating for children’s rights and discussing them openly.
- A love for art: I’d made a zine on menstrual health issues, and the Ambassador liked it so much that he asked if it could be used for British Embassy communications! I was thrilled that my artwork could reach more people.
- We also talked about the importance of open conversations between parents and children on these important issues.
Climate change concerns and presenting the Girls’ Manifesto
During my takeover, I attended high-level meetings, where I talked about climate change’s impact on my community. I shared examples of flash floods, heat waves, and how school closures have disrupted children’s lives. I also presented our Girls’ Manifesto #UniteForProtection, created by 25 girls from diverse backgrounds. In it, we’re urging governments, embassies, and organisations to make humanitarian responses more girl-friendly.
One of my highlights was meeting Carole Fuchs, the Climate Change and Biodiversity Policy Manager, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Tokyo. I asked her to consider engaging young people in climate awareness projects, like a great Himalaya run. I also spoke with the embassy’s Inclusion, Gender, and Security teams to learn about their resilience work and met UN Women delegates to discuss why engaging girls is key to achieving gender equality.
Ending the day with a purpose
I ended my day at the British School, where I had the honour of presenting the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) awards. Before I left, I made a final recommendation to the embassy team: “Please include children and adolescent girls in embassy programmes.” I felt a deepened sense of purpose and was inspired to keep advocating for change.
This day showed me that change truly begins with a single voice—our voices. I’m deeply grateful for this experience and especially thankful to H.E. Rob Fenn for his commitment to staying connected and for being so approachable. I’m excited to bring all that I’ve learned back to my community.