MAO Yu Lynn Yuan Serves as Mentor and Award Presenter for UNICEF HKU Human Rights Case Competition

April 30, 2025 (Hong Kong SAR, China) - In early 2025, a three-month series of human rights-themed activities, jointly organized by UNICEF Hong Kong (UNICEF HK) and UNICEF The University of Hong Kong (UNICEF HKU), successfully concluded. These activities, centered on children's rights, promoted interdisciplinary practices, encouraging young student participants to actively engage in and learn about children's rights protection. MAO Yu Lynn Yuan has been appointed as a mentor and award presenter for this UNICEF HKU Human Rights Case Competition.

Interdisciplinary Practice Framework

The series revolved around the reflective theme "The Next Generation in Distress", establishing a cyclical, interdisciplinary practice framework of "Learn > Practice > Exchange > Practice".

• Skill Development: Two case competition workshops transcended conventional curricula, enhancing case study proficiency and public speaking skills. Collaborations with two non-profit entities (Model United Nations (MUN) and TEDx HKU) broadened participants' knowledge application and practical experience.

• Outcome Enhancement: Open submission channels for the case competition provided hands-on opportunities. Judges, composed of mentors and guests, offered expert feedback, refining participants' articulation and arguments.

• Perspective Expansion: Renowned scholars and guest lecturers shared cutting-edge insights on children's rights within the human rights discourse. Participants actively interacted with the panel, fostering in-depth exchanges.

• Simulation Exercises: Leveraging MUN's strengths, the series replicated real-world UN working group scenarios, allowing participants to immerse themselves in solving practical issues.

Case Competition Award Ceremony

The UNICEF at HKU Case Competition 2025 award ceremony took place on Student Festival, April 30, 2025, at the Haking Wong Podium, HKU. Professor Julian Tanner, Director of the Common Core at HKU, emphasized the significance of interdisciplinary learning in tackling future challenges during his opening remarks. Subsequently, Professor Derek Collins, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at HKU, presented the 2024–2025 HKU Horizons Experience Awards.

The winners of UNICEF at HKU Case Competition 2025 were announced and honored by a panel of guest mentors, including Lam Tsz Hei (Chair of UNICEF HKU), Fatima Tul Zahra (Secretary-General of UNICEF HKU), MAO Yu Lynn Yuan and Luka Strings (TEDx HKU speakers), and Seojin Moon (Content Director of TEDx HKU).

• Champion Team: Sameeha Affaf, Muhammad Ibrahim, Amber Pansai, Areeba Ahmed

• Honorable Mentions: Xiao Qiuyuan, Liu Tianyun, Maria Eugenia Calvo Prieto, Lin Yuk Han, Lee Joanne Jeyoung, Ku Ming Yan, Jiang Xintong, Chan Mia

The champion team's case study delved into direct and systemic exploitation of children. Statistics revealed that one in ten U.S. K–12 students endured sexual misconduct by school staff; Hong Kong reported merely 1,457 physical abuse cases, often dismissed as "discipline"; and only 30% of Hong Kong parents recognized the lifelong psychological damage of emotional abuse. Systemic issues included 72.1 million children in sub-Saharan Africa trapped in child labor, marginalized youth exploited by criminal networks, and cases like Geneviève, a 9-year-old Chadian forced into marriage due to debt, highlighting how poverty, gender inequality, and harmful traditions robbed girls of their childhood, education, and agency. The team identified poverty, institutional flaws, and social neglect as root causes, advocating for technological innovation and collective action to protect children's rights.

About UNICEF

Established on December 11, 1946, as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and renamed in 1953, UNICEF remains dedicated to upholding children’s rights globally. Operating in over 190 countries and regions, it safeguards children’s futures through initiatives in immunization, education, and more. UNICEF HK launched this campaign to mobilize university resources and inspire youth involvement in children’s rights advocacy.

Website: www.unicef.org

About Common Core

The Common Core at HKU offers over 160 interdisciplinary courses spanning Science & Technology, Humanities & Arts, Global Issues, and Chinese Studies. Guided by the "Engage, Experiment, Enjoy" learning philosophy, it empowers students to transcend disciplinary boundaries. This initiative exemplified this approach, enabling students to develop critical and creative thinking through cross-sectoral problem-solving.

Website: www.commoncore.hku.hk

About FANIQUE

FANIQUE, a multinational enterprise founded in 2013, operates across fashion, lifestyle, technology and other sectors, with key presence in Canada and China (Mainland and Hong Kong SAR). Guided by its core philosophy "Build Sustainable Values," FANIQUE explores and builds a sustainable development value system through cross-industry innovation. Since its establishment, the company has rolled out a series of cross-border innovation projects: publishing FANIQUE magazine, developing online-offline experiential shopping, incubating technology-driven lifestyle initiatives, and building the F sustainable ecological chain business model. Its Innovator Program (2019-2023), focusing on youth employment, has nurtured over 300 international innovative talents and partnered with more than 50 universities and educational institutions in North America (Canada and the United States).

Website: www.faniquegroup.com