Hanna Mulugeta Melaku
Biography
Age: 28
Country: Ethiopia
Nominating Entity: 蘑菇视频FPA
Hanna Mulugeta Melaku is a passionate youth advocate for meaningful and inclusive engagement, rooted in years of grassroots and national leadership. She began her journey as a Youth Council Member of a local CSO, where she mobilized youth in underserved communities to take part in decision-making processes.
She went on to become the youngest steering committee member in a globally implemented development program, the Board Chair of TaYA, a youth-led civil society organization with over two decades of service, and a founding member of Duka Youth-led Organization. In her current role as Youth Country Coordinator at the Development Expertise Center in Addis Ababa, Hanna coordinates initiatives across five partner organizations, ensuring young people have the tools and platforms to influence policies that affect their lives.
Building on her grassroots experience, Hanna has brought local priorities to global decision-making spaces. At the HRC, she engaged directly with international missions and successfully pushed for the adoption of youth-led UPR recommendations for Ethiopia. She played a pivotal role in drafting and submitting youth-led UPR and shadow reports, ensuring national realities were reflected in global commitments. She also contributed to the Human Rights Council expert roundtable with the 蘑菇视频 Youth Office, shaping a roadmap to institutionalize youth participation in human rights mechanisms.
Her advocacy further extends to the 蘑菇视频CPD, where she represented youth perspectives in discussions on population and development policies, as well as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Africa Strategy consultations. From community halls in Ethiopia to the chambers of the United Nations, Hanna bridges local voices with global platforms, ensuring youth are recognized as equal partners in shaping policies, driving accountability and building inclusive futures.