UNICEF India launches ‘The Child in Me: My Promise to Children’ digital campaign to promote child rights, announces three new Youth Advocates

NEW DELHI — UNICEF India has launched a digital campaign leading up to the World Children’s Day on 20 November 2025, askingadults to recall their special childhood memories relating to opportunities and barriers that shaped their life, with that, asking them to make a promise to support children around them to access their rights and meet their aspirations.

A host of celebrities, influencers, and notable personalities have joined the campaign by sharing cherished childhood stories and by making a promise to children. Among notable celebrities UNICEF’s National Ambassadors, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, three-time Grammy Award winner and UNICEF Celebrity Advocate Ricky Kej, along with recently appointed Celebrity Advocate Keerthy Suresh, have joined the campaign to reinforce the shared responsibility of listening to, standing with, and acting for children — not just on World Children’s Day, but every day.

Supporters of child rights and wellbeing, children and youth and people from different walks of life have also joined the campaign in a show of support for children, especially the most vulnerable and those most in need across India. The campaign promotes access to essential basic services such as healthcare, education, clean water, sanitation and a safe environment for children to grow in. The campaign also promotes children from all over the country having equal and opportunities to reach their full potential.

Owning up to the responsibility adults make and fulfil their promises to all children to help them thrive –the message of equity resonated through the ICC-UNICEF partnership activations in the recently concluded, that brought together cricket fans, cricketers and teams to commit their support.

UNICEF invites all to join the campaign ‘The Child in Me: My Promise to Children’ – share defining childhood stories and make promises to children with the hashtag #MyPromiseToChildren and tag @UNICEFIndia. Video and posts by influencers can be seen in UNICEF India social and digital channels - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and website www.unicef.org/india

UNICEF India announces three new Youth Advocates

In keeping with UNICEF’s promise to work not only for children but with children and young people in programme and advocacy, listening to children, providing platforms to amplify their views and voices, especially on issues that shape their lives and wellbeing, UNICEF India today announced the induction of UNICEF India Youth Advocates.

The new UNICEF India Youth Advocates are Shyam Shukla, 15, from Karnataka, Prasiddhi Singh, 13, from Tamil Nadu, and Unnathi Suranaa, 19, from Gujarat.  At 13 and 15 years, Prasiddhi and Shyam are the youngest to take on the role. These Youth Advocates bring their passion and commitment to supporting social issues, their ability to inspire peers, and their potential to grow as positive role models. The new batch joins the UNICEF India Youth Advocates, Gauranshi Sharma from Madhya Pradesh, Kartik Verma from Uttar Pradesh, and Nahid Afrin from Assam, who were appointed in 2023 and 2024.

Congratulating and welcoming the appointment of new Youth Advocates, UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey said, “Children and young people are keen to imagine and to follow their dreams — they are actively shaping solutions for their communities and our shared future. Every child’s perspective counts and strengthens our ability to fulfil our promise for quality health, education and protection for every child.  “

UNICEF India Youth Advocates join a growing group of UNICEF Youth Advocates globally, from across countries, and champion child rights as a group and as individuals by promoting children’s issues and causes, and by advocating to create wider space for dialogue and build consensus at local, national, and international platforms.

UNICEF’s global flagship report, The State of the World’s Children 2025, is also going to be released on 20 November.  Iconic monuments across India will turn blue under the #GoBlue campaign in a symbolic support to uphold child rights.

Note to Editors: Profiles of the new batch of UNICEF India Youth Advocates.

Shyam Shukla, 15, is a road-safety champion and Helmet Ambassador. He has led youth workshops, and represented India at the World Health Regional Summit 2024. His initiative, Project Safe on Roads, promotes youth-led solutions to prevent accidents and improve community awareness. He recently participated in a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare consultation on adolescent wellbeing.

Prasiddhi Singh, 13, is an environmentalist who founded the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation, has led the planting of over 2 lakh trees at more than 120 locations, and is on a mission to plant 10 million trees. She has launched micro-forest models, climate education programmes and Green Brigades in over 200 schools, while engaging 1,000,000 youth across 20 countries. A Child Ambassador for the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, she has represented India at COP28, COP29, COP30, G20, Y20, and multiple UN forums. She is also a recipient of the Prime Minister’s National Child Award and the Diana Award (UK).

Unnathi Suranaa, 19, an advocate for inclusion and mental wellbeing, is the first person with a disability to win the IB MYP Innovator Grant (2022) for her work in inclusive education. As Brand Ambassador for the Down Syndrome Federation of India, she has spoken at UNICEF’s National Consultation on Adolescent Mental Health, delivered a TEDx Talk on self-belief, and acted in the movie “CRAZXY”, which highlighted that people with Down Syndrome can also be smart. A trained Kuchipudi dancer and sportsperson, she also runs a YouTube channel and podcast promoting neurodiversity.