Rehman Hassan

Hi, I am Rehman! I am a passionate human rights activist who has dedicated my life to amplifying the voices of marginalized youth, pursuing change locally and globally.

Some of my most notable roles are as a Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Adolescent Champion, the SDG-3 Youth Advisor at UN-HABITAT, one of two North American Youth Representatives to the UN-HABITAT Youth Advisory Board, and the Representative of US Youth Perspectives at the Pan American Health Organization with the Youth4Health Initiative. In this capacity, I have worked to promote the health, well-being, and human rights of adolescents and children globally.

Especially significant was my role as a co-leader of the Digital Experience Subcommittee of PMNCH’s Global Forum for Adolescents (GFA), where I advised the development of the ground-breaking "What Young People Want" chatbot, which consulted with 1.2+ million young people worldwide, primarily from the global South, with the support of GFA/PMNCH Partner UN Agencies, NGOs, and corporations.

Since the age of 10, I have led iCure Health International, a global community-based organization, that has touched the lives of 60,000+ individuals across 30+ international chapters in 22 countries, dedicated to enhancing public health access, education, and policy.

Moreover, as an NGO Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, I have served as a consultant or advisor for the World Health Organization, UN Women, UN Human Rights, UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, UN Climate Change, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Refugee Agency, the White House, the US Department of State, the European Union, the G20, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Their contributions have resulted in the publication of 22+ first-authored papers presented before and cited at platforms such as the Human Rights Council, UN Committee for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations Human Rights Advisory Committee, European Union Parliament, White House, and the Economic and Social Council Partnership Forum.

Locally, my leadership as a UNICEF Child-Friendly Cities Initiative Youth Houston Council leader led to the successful passage of the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative Action Plan and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, impacting the lives of 2.5 million young people and bridging the gap between global aspirations and local dynamics. Additionally, I have worked on many political campaigns, especially in social media, policy, and organizing, helping engage 7.5+ million people, especially on uses related to sexual and reproductive care, gun violence, and healthcare.

My ongoing work includes innovative solutions to systems perpetuating inequity, such as a patent-pending device aimed at eliminating the need for open-fire cooking methods.

As a regular advocate for better public health systems at all levels whether that be advocating for Yemen’s Youth at the United Nations Committee for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; serving as a UN Refugee Agency Young Champion for Refugees; working as a suicide hotline volunteer; expressing the relationship between the well-being of people with disabilities and climate change at the first-ever US-based UN Youth Climate Conference; serving as a Youth Ambassador for the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations; conversing with the Kiribati Ambassador to the United Nations on the role of youth leadership in public health; serving as the youngest-ever delegate to the PAHO Directing Council; or passionately working with congresspeople and Human Rights Watch to protect the health of migrants.

Moreover, with my recent appointment to the Leadership Council of USA for UNFPA, I am the youngest-ever Leadership Council Member of a country UN body; in this role, I help contribute to UNFPA’s goals of ensuring the well-being of all women and girls and raising $100+ million for UNFPA by 2030 (which is almost halfway there!).

I have been recognized with the Diana Humanitarian Award, President Biden’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a White House Letter of Commendation for Contributions to Adolescent and Youth Well-being, $1.6 million in scholarships and grants, and more.