Africa’s first continental summit convened for and by Girls and Young Women (GYW) has kicked off in Nairobi, setting the stage for a historic shift in how the voices of young women shape governance, development, and policy across the continent.
Africa’s Untapped Youth Potential
With more than 116 million people under the age of 35 in East Africa alone, the continent holds immense potential. Yet, organisers say leadership from young people—particularly girls—remains undervalued despite their active role in tackling pressing issues such as climate change, digital inequality, gender-based violence, and economic injustice.
Summit theme and timeline
Running from 11–14 August under the theme “Sustaining Girls and Young Women Leadership in Key Decision-Making Spaces in Africa”, the She Leads Africa Summit 2025 is hosted in the Eastern Africa region as both a culmination of the five-year She Leads programme (2021–2025) and a springboard for the post-2030 development agenda.
Civil society-led and feminist-driven
The event is organised by the Horn of Africa Youth Network (HoAYN) and Terre des Hommes Netherlands, in collaboration with Pan-African She Leads Consortium partners—Plan International AULO, Defence for Children – ECPAT Netherlands (DCI-ECPAT), FEMNET, and GIMAC. This marks the first regional civil society-led summit on the continent designed entirely for and by GYW.
Urgent call ahead of the 2030 SDGs deadline
Organisers stress that with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline approaching, integrating GYW into leadership structures is urgent.
“We need to ensure Girls and Young Women continue to lead with impact in all spheres of life, now and in the future,” said Linnet Awor, Technical Expert, Lobby and Advocacy at Terre des Hommes Netherlands. “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.”
Expected outcomes and commitments
By the close of the four-day gathering, participants aim to secure concrete policy commitments from both regional and continental institutions to embed GYW leadership in decision-making.
The Summit will also strengthen intergenerational and cross-border feminist networks while producing a Pan-African roadmap for a just, inclusive, and gender-equal post-2030 future.