Africa’s strength lies in its youthful population. In East Africa alone, more than 116 million people are aged under 35. Yet, the leadership of young people—and particularly Girls and Young Women—is systematically undervalued, even as they spearhead efforts to tackle climate change, digital inequality, gender-based violence and economic injustice.
With just five years remaining until the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, protecting hard-won gains and ensuring that Girls and Young Women are meaningfully integrated into decision-making has never been more urgent.
Against this backdrop, the She Leads Africa Summit 2025—under the theme “Sustaining Girls and Young Women Leadership in Key Decision-Making Spaces in Africa”—is taking place from 11 to 13 August 2025 in Nairobi. This summit marks the first regional, civil society-led gathering convened for and by Girls and Young Women across the continent.
The event is organised by the Horn of Africa Youth Network (HoAYN) and Terre des Hommes Netherlands, in collaboration with the Pan African She Leads Consortium partners—including Plan International AULO, Defence for Children – ECPAT Netherlands (DCI-ECPAT), FEMNET, and GIMAC
Described as both a powerful conclusion to the five-year She Leads programme (2021–2025) and a bold step forward for gender-responsive policy, the summit emphasises the centrality of Girls and Young Women in governance and development.
As Linnet Awor, Technical Expert in Lobby and Advocacy at Terre des Hommes Netherlands, explains:
“We need to ensure Girls and Young Women continue to lead with impact in all spheres of life, now and in the future. Through collaborative advocacy, the Summit will strengthen feminist and youth-led movements, encouraging regional commitments to ensure GYW are engaged meaningfully in governance and development.”
By the summit’s end, participants aim to have secured tangible policy commitments from both regional and continental bodies to embed the leadership of Girls and Young Women in key decision-making spaces. In addition, the summit will fortify intergenerational and cross-border feminist networks and produce a clear, Pan-African roadmap for a just, inclusive, and gender-equal post-2030 agenda.
This historic gathering represents a strategic moment when the voices of Girls and Young Women are not only heard but are deliberately positioned at the heart of Africa’s future decision-making.
