More than 120 adolescent girls and young women from across Kenya have called for greater opportunities to participate meaningfully in leadership, decision-making and development processes that affect their lives and communities.
The call was made during the 6th Annual Girls Assembly convened by Polycom Girls in Nairobi on September 16, 2026, under the theme “Unleashing Authentic Feminine Leadership.”
The annual gathering brought together girls and young women, women leaders, policymakers, development partners and women’s rights advocates for dialogue, learning, networking and sharing of ideas on issues affecting girls and women.
Discussions focused on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG), Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), girls’ participation in decision-making, climate justice, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), women’s economic rights, Women, Peace and Security, male allyship and partnerships.
With Kenya preparing for the 2027 General Election, participants emphasised the importance of peaceful political participation and ensuring young women have space to contribute to public decision-making.
Polycom Girls Founder and Executive Director Jane Anyango said the organisation remains committed to equipping girls with leadership skills and encouraging their meaningful participation in governance and political processes.
“Young people cannot be discussed in their absence,” Anyango said, underscoring the need for young people to be directly involved in conversations and decisions affecting their future.
The Assembly also encouraged girls and young women entering political and leadership spaces to remain engaged despite challenges that may emerge during electoral periods.
The keynote speaker, Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat, H.E. Henk Jan Bakker, urged young leaders to listen to diverse perspectives.
“A good leader is open to other opinions and other voices,” Bakker said.
He encouraged leaders to create room for differing views instead of surrounding themselves with people who simply agree with them. He also noted that while development partners can provide resources and support, sustainable development and scaling of initiatives ultimately require ownership by communities and governments.
Polycom Girls Programs Officer Aphline Yogo said the Assembly was designed to give girls an opportunity to develop and advance solutions to challenges affecting their communities.
“Girls are pitching their ideas, and we want them to be realised,” Yogo said.
She added that the participation model was intended to strengthen ownership by ensuring girls themselves contribute to shaping the Assembly and its discussions.
Meanwhile, SDGs Kenya Forum Executive Director Florence Syevuo called for development programmes to reflect the lived experiences of girls and young women.
“SDGs embody the lived realities of the girls,” Syevuo said, citing issues including safe environments, menstrual health and hygiene and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
She said development actors should avoid designing solutions solely from what they know, urging them to engage girls directly in identifying solutions to challenges affecting them.
Over the past five years, the Annual Girls Assembly has connected more than 1,000 young women with mentors, policymakers, women leaders, donors and development partners.
The initiative is guided by four principles: Connect, Co-create, Champion and Celebrate.
Looking ahead, Polycom Girls said the 7th Annual Girls Assembly will place greater emphasis on peace and social cohesion, particularly as Kenya approaches the 2027 elections.
The organisation said the focus will be on ensuring girls and young women are not only participants in electoral processes but are also equipped to contribute to peaceful and inclusive communities.
The Assembly concluded with a call for girls and young women to be given meaningful opportunities to shape Kenya’s future rather than simply being prepared for it.