Jamaican justice advocate named 2026 Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Youth Award Winner
Key Points(5)
- Jamaican youth advocate Moesha Allen has been named the 2026 Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Winner at the Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony held in London on June 25.
- Government representatives, high commissioners, youth leaders and other stakeholders attended the ceremony, which celebrates young people advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovation and community impact across the 56-member Commonwealth.
- Allen, who was selected from nearly 1,000 applicants following a two-stage adjudication process involving 57 judges, is among 20 finalists recognised for their work in development across the Commonwealth.
- Driven by a focus on youth empowerment, peacebuilding and community cooperation, Allen founded Helping Youths Pursue Excellence (HYPE), a programme that reaches more than 10,000 young people through mentorship and literacy initiatives.
- She also serves as a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, where she works as sub-officer in charge of the St.
Jamaican youth advocate Moesha Allen has been named the 2026 Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Winner at the Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony held in London on June 25.
Government representatives, high commissioners, youth leaders and other stakeholders attended the ceremony, which celebrates young people advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovation and community impact across the 56-member Commonwealth.
Allen, who was selected from nearly 1,000 applicants following a two-stage adjudication process involving 57 judges, is among 20 finalists recognised for their work in development across the Commonwealth.
Driven by a focus on youth empowerment, peacebuilding and community cooperation, Allen founded Helping Youths Pursue Excellence (HYPE), a programme that reaches more than 10,000 young people through mentorship and literacy initiatives.
She also serves as a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, where she works as sub-officer in charge of the St. Andrew South Community Safety and Security Unit.
Speaking at the ceremony, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey congratulated all finalists for their contributions and resilience.
“My congratulations to you all finalists. You are already winners. To be selected from across 56 nations is a testament to your courage and your creativity. You embody the very best of our family,” Botchwey said. “You have shown resilience in the face of challenge and innovation in the face of constraint.”
She added that the awards represent more than recognition.
“Today is not about recognition alone — it is about momentum. It is not about isolated excellence — it is about collective advancement,” she said. “Together, we will continue to strengthen the Commonwealth Youth Programme as a flagship vehicle for youth development in the Commonwealth.”
The Commonwealth Youth Awards provide funding and support to young changemakers aged 15 to 29, helping scale youth-led initiatives across member states. Since their inception, the programme has invested more than £400,000 in grassroots projects, reaching over 12 million beneficiaries, generating more than 4,250 jobs and contributing to all 17 SDGs. About 40 per cent of funding has supported women-led initiatives.
Other regional winners were also announced at the ceremony.
Uganda’s Shifra Ainomugisha was named 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year and also received the top Africa regional award, earning a total prize of £5,000.
In Asia, Pakistan’s Bushra Mahnoor was recognised for work promoting affordable sanitary hygiene for women and adolescents.
Canada’s Justin Huang received the Europe and Canada award for developing a youth-led ocean conservation project using AI and open-source satellite imagery to monitor marine plastics and water pollution in near real time.
In the Pacific region, Papua New Guinea’s Aileen Zuhukepe was recognised for efforts to improve early detection of breast cancer among rural women.
The ceremony was streamed live on YouTube and Facebook. This year also marked the introduction of the Patsy Robertson Award for Outstanding Communications Skills, sponsored by the Commonwealth Association, a Commonwealth-accredited organisation, in honour of the late communications director Patsy Robertson.
Kenya’s Maria Maina received the inaugural award for her work on gender equality through Social Justice Insights, a digital platform focused on gender-based violence, femicide and women’s rights advocacy.
Maina received £1,000, a certificate and a trophy. Five other finalists were also recognised and will receive membership in the Commonwealth Journalists Association.
Commonwealth Association Chair Max Gaylard said the award honours both Robertson’s legacy and emerging communicators.
“We honour Patsy Robertson by rewarding young people and by highlighting the important work of communications professionals,” Gaylard said. “We are proud to partner with the Commonwealth Secretariat to recognise these outstanding communicators and to showcase the work of the next generation of leaders in this important area.”
From more than 970 submissions, 20 finalists were selected before being narrowed to five regional winners by a pan-Commonwealth adjudication panel.
The Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work is an initiative of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, which has supported youth development across member countries for more than 50 years.
