Riley Healey's Journey at UNICEF Zimbabwe

Riley Healey's Journey at UNICEF Zimbabwe 

I have spent the last year of my life in a vigorous LLM dedicated to international children’s rights law. Months were committed to studying the intricacies of the international legal instruments intended to protect children. Despite this, when I arrived in Zimbabwe I had no idea of how to bridge my theoretical knowledge of international law to a practical understanding that could help children.

When my supervisor picked me up from the airport, she was quick to make me feel useful to the legal reform team. Before even my first day of work, I had been tasked to write an international legal analysis of the age of consent to marriage, sexual activity and access to reproductive health services to inform the redrafting of domestic laws. I was thrilled to be of use, and I began the task of bridging my theoretical knowledge of children’s rights to their practice in Zimbabwe.

Representing my home county of Frontenac at UNICEF

Three months since the day I began to build that bridge, I have now worked on countless issues that I am passionate about: sexual offences against children, children on the move, combatting child marriage, the digital safety of children, and many more. I’m happy to say that I have had the opportunity to see a lot of positive change already. Of equal significance, I have seen the creativity and innovation necessary to work in legal reform for children’s rights, and have become more sure than ever that this is what I want to dedicate my career to.

However most of all, I have learned that I have a lot more learning to do. With each day in the office, I realize that the bridge I am trying to build between theoretical and practical knowledge is bigger than I originally thought. Despite everything that I don’t know, what this position has given me is a renewed passion for children’s rights, and a dedication to continue pushing myself to learn more every day.

UNICEF staff gather in Nyanga for a staff retreat where we renewed our commitment to working for every child and built teamwork and leadership skills