Why would you like to be on the NCDA Board of Directors?

I would like to serve another term on the NCDA Board of Directors due to my passion for increasing youth participation in the NCD space and creating lasting change. As the only youth expert on the current board, I have been successfully advocating for children and youth throughout the past term. If re-elected, I will work hard to further engage, support and amplify young voices within both the NCDA and the broader global health landscape. I deeply understand what is needed to improve the status quo and shift the dial on NCD prevention and treatment. I will work to increase collaboration between the child and adolescent health and NCD agendas, where there are enormous opportunities to address structural drivers, risk factor behaviours and access to treatment and care for these groups around the world. For example, I would be excited to strategically support NCD Alliance’s participation at the upcoming Global Forum for Adolescents 2023 and in related initiatives through my work on the inaugural WHO Youth Council. I would also be pleased to support program development, diverse and equitable participation, and intergenerational collaboration at the global NCDA Forum 2024 in Kigali. As a physician and researcher, I strongly believe in and advocate for evidence-based policies that protect the most at-risk populations who were left behind during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

I am a recognised leader in the field, and I have driven action and change to the NCD landscape through my various roles since 2013.

What makes you a good candidate for the NCDA Board of Directors?

I possess a strong technical understanding of NCDs, in-depth knowledge and experience working on NCD advocacy, and strong networks across the global youth and global health communities. I feel a strong passion and sense of responsibility to share the platforms, opportunities and networks that I have with other young people. As such, I successfully developed, fundraised and launched NCD Child’s Young Leaders Program (YLP), supporting 25 aspiring young leaders and advocates in the NCD space, primarily from LMICs. I have a strong understanding of the dynamics and opportunities with the World Health Organization through serving on the first WHO youth council, my many years of collaboration and as a previous employee at the organisation. With NCDA’s new status with the WHO, I can use my experience leading organisations in official relations with WHO to the Alliance’s advantage. I have spearheaded advocacy campaigns that highlight the effects of NCDs on young people, and initiated the development of an important capacity building tool called the NCD Child Global Advocacy Course. As a paediatric doctor and researcher, I have also published on how COVID-19 affected obesity in children in the journal ‘Obesity’, childhood asthma, and on the need to address NCD risks as part of the pandemic response in ‘Archives of Disease in Childhood’.

As a current board member, I can continue the momentum of our ongoing work, particularly on policy and programmes, and hit the ground running supporting many other NCD Alliance and member initiatives.

Biography

Marie Hauerslev is a paediatric doctor, NCD Alliance board member and the past-Chair of NCD Child - the first young person elected for this position. As chair, Marie initiated the Young Leaders Program, secured a public workshop with the WHO Director General about NCDs, youth and COVID, initiated a COVID & NCDs campaign, and led the organisation's strategic planning process. Dr Hauerslev is currently undertaking a PhD in childhood asthma. She serves on the steering committee of the WHO Youth Council and its NCD working group. Dr Hauerslev is the Chair of the WHO GCM/NCD Lab on Youth and the Next Generation and a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Maltreatment of Young People. Previously, as Vice-President for External Affairs and Liaison Officer to WHO of the IFMSA, Dr Hauerslev led IFMSA’s external work. Dr Hauerslev has worked at the WHO GCM for NCDs.