Fouzia Younis, a British diplomat of Pakistani descent, has been selected as the UK’s consul general in Toronto, making her the first Muslim woman to hold that position in the United Kingdom.
Younis, who is currently serving as the head of communications and public diplomacy at the British High Commission in Islamabad, made the announcement on Twitter, stating: “Privileged to be appointed as His Majesty’s British Consul General to Toronto”.
“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.”
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“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,” she concluded.
