Neisha Hussain
Neisha is a policy & advocacy Advisor with experience advising across multilateral institutions, foundations and governments.
Her work has focused on international development, philanthropy, and intergenerational approaches to issues impacting women and disadvantaged groups.
At 18, Neisha was announced by the UK Minister for International Development as the UK Government’s sole United Nations Youth Delegate and now serves as the UK’s first-ever Senior Youth Delegate and Advisor at the UN Commission on Population and Development.
As the youngest Advisor at Mission 44, Sir Lewis Hamilton's international foundation, she shapes work on participatory philanthropy and is developing a fund to explore intergenerational approaches to corporate grant making.
Her previous work includes having advised the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, led consultations, and contributed to policy notes to advance girls’ education in international development contexts.
She uses her platforms to inspire the next generations of leaders and she has spoken at institutions including the UN, the House of Lords, Bath University, UNFPA, and UCL - all before the age of 20.
Neisha is a Fellow of the RSA and thrives when challenging systems as well as connecting cross-sector perspectives to tackle shared challenges.
She is currently exploring opportunities in philanthropy, research, multilateralism, and international development financing.
Journey
2026
Appointed as the UK Government’s first-ever Senior Youth Delegate to the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) after her recommendation of a junior-senior delegate model.
Developed and convened an official side-event during the 59th session of the UN CPD co-sponsored by 4 global governments and 5 CSO partners from across 5 continents.
Lead on Lived Experience Research on a UCL x UNFPA research project in Guinea.
Featured in the Royal Society of Arts’ Journal [Issue 02 2026] in a segment highlighting the ideas, work and voices of young fellows shaping the future.
Moved to Paris to study at La Sorbonne for the year.
2025
The sole Official UK Government UN Youth Delegate to the Commission on Population and Development.
Co-authored and presented the UK National Statement at UNHQ in NY amongst other UN speaking engagements.
Held a bilateral with the former Minister for International Development.
Published a blog about being a UN Youth Delegate on Bond UK.
Panellist at the House of Lords for UNFPA’s annual report launch.
Panellist at FCDO celebratory reception on partnerships and the importance of a fair and equal world for women and girls.
Keynote speaker during Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships week on gender-responsive EiEPC.
Panellist at Bath University’s One Young World event on violence against women and girls.
Attended the International Dialogue on Population and Development in Berlin to convene and share best practice with partners.
2024
Appointed to the UK Foreign Office’s Girls’ Education Council, convened by the Global Partnership for Education.
Began her 4-year undergraduate degree in BA Language and Culture at University College London.
Represented Mission 44 at a Roundtable on Strengthening Meaningful UK Youth Engagement at the UN.
Hosted the Fair Education Alliance’s annual Youth Education Summit.
2023
At 16, appointed as the Youngest Advisor at Lewis Hamilton’s international foundation, Mission 44, working on education and philanthropy.
Invited to Downing Street during King Charles’ coronation alongside the Prime Minister and Jill Biden for lunch to celebrate the importance of volunteering.
Became the Youngest-ever One Young World Ambassador on a full scholarship at the age of 17.
2021-2022
Launched sexual-harassment campaign “What Was She Wearing?” with Integrate UK amidst the everyone’s invited campaign and the murder of Sarah Everard.
Presented these issues to professionals, including Ofsted inspectors and NHS workers at national conferences.
Served as a Bristol City Youth Councillor.
Neisha Hussain delivering the UK National Statement at the UN’s 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development.
Notes on Impact
Across government, philanthropy, international development and multilateral institutions, Neisha has worked on projects that aim to advise policy, allocate resources, build evidence and strengthen the systems through which decisions are made.
Pathways Fund | Pilot £500k Match-Fund
Co-developed a £500K pilot match-fund with a major global financial services company. The process included conducting a national survey of 2,000+ respondents and synthesising qualitative and quantitative data to deliver actionable recommendations. Built a learning framework and 3 iterations of a theory of change with evaluation partners, and led a participatory review through 22+ stakeholder consultations, focus groups, and 1:1 interviews.
An intergenerational co-design playbook will soon be published to share best practice and learnings with the sector.
Influencing and Supporting UK Government Engagement at the UN
Contributed to UK positions and negotiations at the UN Commission on Population and Development, including analysis of negotiated text, coalition strategy and the UK National Statement. This included analysing policy positions across 47 countries for strategy and shaped agreed language with a global coalition of 100+ organisations.
She overall developed recommendations that changed how UK youth engagement in multilateral diplomacy was structured, including earlier recruitment, a two-delegate model and greater engagement with the UK Mission and FCDO officials.
4 Governments. 10 co-sponsors. 7 speakers from 4 continents. 100+ attendees signed up. 4 months of planning. 1 side-event at the United Nations.
Neisha convened her own UN side-event co-sponsored by governments of the United Kingdom, Norway, South Africa and Colombia alongside 5 CSO partners. She convened this event to include UN Agencies, Government Officials, Private Sector actors, Foundations, Researchers, and more. The event included keynote speeches from two Deputy Ministers of South Africa and Sierra Leone.
Convening Government and Lived Experience Advocates
Neisha contributed to 5 multi-stakeholder consultations on girls' education in development contexts with senior UK government officials. She co-facilitated a roundtable on the role of AI in Education during the popular emergence of AI chatbots. Insights were synthesised into strategic recommendations that influenced national education priorities, were adopted in a Wilton Park policy note, and shaped international dialogues. She provided pre-conference advisory support to government delegations, contributing research and recommendations that informed funding commitments and the creation of a taskforce on child protection.
