International Day of the Girl Child: 3rd year UG economics student is Canadian High Commissioner for a day

In observance of Thursday being International Day of the Girl Child, the High Commission of Canada continued its 8-year tradition of hosting one exceptional young woman as the High Commissioner for the day.
Attiya Griffith, an 18-year -old third-year economics major at the University of Guyana (UG), emerged as winner of the online High Commissioner for the Day contest. This year, dozens of young women aged 15-20 years old submitted one-minute-long videos on the topic, ‘If you can have one wish with regards to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, what would you wish for, and why?’ Ms. Griffith delivered an inspiring and strong submission on the topic, highlighting that she would wish for a world where equality is no longer a goal, but a reality.
Having been selected as the winner, Griffith was tasked with performing her duties as High Commissioner on Thursday October 10. Her day included meeting with her staff; visiting the Guyana School of Agriculture’s hydroponic facility, funded in part by Canada; meeting with the Guyana Lottery Company; attending a luncheon hosted in her honour with several accomplished women; and attending a speed mentoring event hosted at the British High Commission.
She was exposed to a cross section of activities and engagements that allowed her to see some of the work being done by the High Commission, and meet representatives of partner organizations.
In addition to providing Griffith with insight and experience as the High Commissioner, the activity was also aimed at allowing her to network and gain some inspiration from some high-achieving women.
Griffith was able to meet and interact with British High Commissioner H.E. Jane Miller; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; Parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir; and Deputy Programme Manager at Caricom, Michele Small-Bartley, among other notable women.
Griffith has said the experience as High Commissioner was exciting, and one that she would never forget. She added that it was deeply inspiring, and that she felt encouraged to reach even higher.
Throughout the coming year, the High Commission would continue to engage Griffith in various activities at the mission and through its partners.
“In recent years, we have seen the winning young ladies excel in other avenues through the confidence and encouragement they gained from this activity. The High Commissioner for the Day activity is in line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, which recognizes that supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the best way to build a more peaceful, more inclusive, and more prosperous world. The High Commission will continue to work with partners to create spaces where women will have equal opportunities to achieve their potential.”
In recapping hosting the activity successfully for another year, High Commissioner Sigouin indicated how impressed he was with the quality of submissions received.
“I believe that Guyana has a very exciting future ahead. From looking at some of the presentations, I was greatly impressed with what these future women leaders will do for this nation and for the world,” he said.
On October 11, 2011, Canada initiated the call for the establishment of an International Day of the Girl Child at the United Nations in order to raise awareness about the unique challenges that girls face, and to urge all to take action. The United Nations then declared October 11, 2012 as the world’s first International Day of the Girl Child.
Since 2016, the High Commission of Canada in Guyana has hosted the High Commissioner for the Day Contest every year (except 2020, due to COVID-19) in observance of the Day of the Girl Child.
Ms Attiya Griffith currently serves as a Child Rights Ambassador for the Rights of the Child Commission, and volunteers with UNICEF Guyana and Suriname, as well as the Women and Gender Equality Commission. She also served as a Young Influencer for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for the years 2023-2024.
Her drive for advocacy extends beyond these roles. Attiya participated in the 2nd Sitting of the National Assembly of Girls, an initiative by the Imperial House, and competed in the 2024 Speaker’s Regional and National Youth Debating Competition, where her team secured 2nd place.
In her free time, Attiya enjoys immersing herself in a good book and watching football, blending her love for literature with her passion for the sport.