ISLAMABAD: Pakistan origin British diplomat Fouzia Younis, the head of communications and public diplomacy at the British High Commission in Islamabad, has been announced as her country's consul general in Toronto, the first British Muslim woman appointed to head a UK diplomatic mission.
Younis, whose parents are from Pakistan, has significant experience of building international relationships in the Middle East and South Asia, and managing, coaching and developing multicultural and diverse teams. Until March 2020, she was also the co-chair of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Network (BAME) leading a global network of over 250 staff.
“Privileged to be appointed as His Majesty's British Consul General to Toronto,” Younis wrote on Twitter.
“Special moment as we think it's the 1st time (but don't have data) that a British Muslim woman has been appointed as Head of a UK Diplomatic Post. I won’t be the last.”
Younis thanked her father “who used to drop me at Digbeth Coach Station at 4am so I could get to my work interviews.”
She also paid tribute to her late mother who “stood up for 18 year old me to go to uni & waited at bus stops to walk me home through dark streets.”
In a previous Twitter post in May last year, Younis announced that her mother had passed away from COVID-19, paying tribute to a woman who never went to school herself but raised four successful children, including an award-winning lawyer, a businessman and a career diplomat.
“To the girls who look like me, who are battling prejudice, racism & sexism from within communities & outside, who are told they can't do it, or that they don't sound or look the part. Don't let anyone dim your power. You can change the world.”
