YLA leadership project spotlight: Mona

Mona of Plan International USA's Youth Advisory Board

Mona created her Leadership Project, DOSE (Digital Online Safety & Empowerment) Initiative, to raise awareness of tech-facilitated gender-based violence. Her personal experiences navigating online abuse inspired her to create her project and continue to lead it today.

At 12 years old, I was isolated, dealing with online abuse. In reality, I was not alone: 59% of minors have faced a harmful online experience, according to Thorn. From the rise of sextortion scams to the proliferation of deepfake pornography scandals in high schools, technology-facilitated gender-based violence is impacting young people across the world, particularly women, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth of color. My experience gave me the urgency to raise my voice and speak out against online abuse, but I just did not know how, which is why I participated in the Youth Leadership Academy and created my leadership project, DOSE (Digital Online Safety & Empowerment) Initiative.

Plan International Youth Leadership Academy alum, Mona, delivers presentation on TFGBV to middle school students — In this photo, I delivered a presentation to middle school students about TFGBV and youth-led activism.

DOSE Initiative is dedicated to raising awareness of TFGBV and empowering youth to navigate the digital world with confidence and resilience. Through workshops/presentations, social media campaigns, policy advocacy, and mobilization efforts, we educate communities and work toward creating a safer, more inclusive online space for all. One of our most recent projects was “Understanding Cyberviolence,” a social media awareness campaign that reached 10,000 users, created in partnership with the Digital Justice Initiative to raise awareness of the various forms of cyberviolence impacting women and girls globally. Since the DOSE Initiative’s inception in May 2023, we have reached and educated 200,000 users online and 3,000 individuals in person. We have mobilized over 20 youth volunteers, known as the DOSE Coalition, who span across four countries and lead DOSE Initiative’s efforts in their local contexts.

DOSE Initiative’s Understanding Cyberviolence campaign screenshot — Screenshot from DOSE Initiative’s recent campaign “Understanding Cyberviolence.”

But these milestones did not happen on their own. Participating in the Youth Leadership Academy was pivotal in starting and supporting my journey as an activist and leader. Through the Youth Leadership Academy, I collaborated with other participants to learn about key issues, such as gender-based violence, during the in-person portion in Washington, D.C. I also gained critical support from the virtual year-long mentorship program, led by the Youth Advisory Board. My mentor, Maham, supported me in the early stages of creating DOSE Initiative, helping me create my project strategy and outreach efforts, which greatly contributed to the exposure and mobilization DOSE Initiative has been able to garner today.

Plan International USA also opened doors to opportunities to expand my advocacy efforts beyond my grassroots organizing as well. In April 2024, I worked with Plan’s policy team to present recommendations for President Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence at the White House. Additionally, the Youth Leadership Academy exposed me to opportunities to share my voice in new spaces, from speaking at USAID’s Protecting Children and Youth from Digital Harm Symposium to being honored by the White House and Dr. Jill Biden as a Girls Leading Change Honoree.

Digital violence is a threat to women and youth everywhere. As threats against my generation evolve, so does my work to confront them. The Youth Leadership Academy was my first exposure to activism, and it is where I learned how I can use my voice to make the change I wanted to see.

Mona’s opening speech at the UN Headquarters for the UN Commemoration for the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women — This photo is from my opening speech at the UN Headquarters for the UN Commemoration for the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, where I talked about my experiences as a survivor and advocate and the importance of including youth voices in decision-making processes.

Today, I am a Youth Advisory Board member at Plan International USA. A key part of my work on the Youth Advisory Board is leading the Youth Leadership Academy and mentoring the new cohorts of students that are starting their impact journeys, like I was only a couple of years ago. To be able to pass down the guidance that supported my path to activism is the greatest joy, and I will continue to serve the community that helped me find my expression and power as a young leader.

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