Young Women’s Empowerment Academies: Challenging norms, shaping leadership
Young Women’s Empowerment Academy for the Economic Community of West African States, in Abuja, Nigeria, November 2025. Credit: Mediaswitch for International IDEA
International IDEA convened four Young Women’s Empowerment Academies across Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa and South Asia, bringing together 110 young women from 35 countries. Aspiring candidates, party members, youth leaders and elected officials articulated clear commitments at the individual, community and political levels, positioning themselves to contest elections, reform party structures and mobilize others in support of transformative and inclusive democratic change.
The Academy has been a transformative experience for me. It gave me the opportunity to deeply reflect on gender social norms, leadership and inclusive governance. Meeting young women leaders from diverse contexts inspired me to think beyond my own limitations and to see the collective power of women’s voices.
| Funding | European Union |
|---|---|
| Theme | |
| Pillar(s) |
