Tianarivelo Gilardy Totozandry is appointed as UNICEF Madagascar Youth Advocate, to bring the voice of children with albinism or with disability.

Antananarivo, 23 April 2024 – Tianarivelo Gilardy Totozandry, 20, joins UNICEF Madagascar as a Youth Advocate. The signing of the collaboration agreement took place in the presence of Ms Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for the Eastern and Southern Africa Region, who is currently visiting Madagascar and Ms Christine Jaulmes, UNICEF Representative to Madagascar.

The appointment comes in recognition of his outstanding commitment to the rights of children, including those of people with albinism.

Gilardy is an active advocate for the rights of people with albinism. He spoke out for the first time at a TEDx conference for kids, organized by UNICEF Madagascar on the occasion of World Children’s Day in 2020. Entitled "Moving Mountains", this event allowed him to share his own journey as a person with albinism and to advocate for the protection of the rights of those affected by this condition.

Since then, Gilardy has been actively involved in various UNICEF initiatives, seizing every opportunity to share his experience and to advocate for the rights of people and children with albinism. He participated in the celebrations of UNICEF’s 75th anniversary, the Albinism Awareness Day in 2022, and the UNICEF Regional Director for Southern and Eastern Africa’s previous visit to Madagascar in 2022, where he spoke on behalf of children with albinism. More recently, in January 2024, he addressed the UNICEF Executive Board.

"Every child has a voice and the right to be heard. I am honoured to join UNICEF as a Youth Advocate and to help advance the cause of children and young people with disability and albinism," said Gilardy. “Together, we can create a world where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential and live with dignity.”

As UNICEF’s Youth Advocate, Gilardy will continue to give voice to children, especially those with special needs, and defend their rights, whether it is the right to protection, health, education or participation.

UNICEF looks forward to working with him to build a better world for every child.