‘Why influence to invest in girls & young women’ 

Let’s commit to investing more, securing additional resources, and working together to end violence, child exploitation to create a more gender-friendly world.

River of Reflection on ‘why to invest in girls and young women’ 

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the Regional Girls and Young Women (GYW) Summit under the ‘She Leads’ project in Nairobi (11 – 14 Aug, 2025). I have been associated with this project for almost 3 years, and it is a matter of pride for me. Whenever I talk to the team and GYW associated with this project and see the change with my own eyes, I realize that a little effort, the joining of some people, and gathering resources for these girls can bring about such a miraculous change.

Although I am not unaware of the success of this project, the regional summit was a different kind of experience. It was a gathering of young forces against harmful norms, who were thrilled, full of passion, and moved ahead by taking on the challenges, and whose efforts, courage, enthusiasm, and dreams are unlimited.

I practically observed that investing in girls and young women is one of the most effective strategies for global development, yielding significant outcomes and returns as depicted by experts. It all makes sense when at least 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM, around 12 million girls each year are married during their childhood, children account for 38% of all identified victims of trafficking, and around 1 in 8 women and girls, experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18. 

Evidence shows that the social and economic costs of VAC (Violence Against Children) manifest at the time of the violent act and throughout the life course of the victim, often into subsequent generations. National-level estimates of the overall direct and indirect costs of violence are as high as 11 per cent of national GDP. Hence, closing the gap and investing ending violence against children is important. 

The powerful cycle of empowerment drives constructive engagement, economic growth, and builds more resilient societies, and the ‘She Leads’ program is a testament to this.

I saw and learnt a lot in four days, but here I am sharing my learnings and experiences based on conducting a session and my face-to-face interactions with GYW. I have been advocating for children and gender issues for more than two decades, but what I learnt during this session will definitely help me become a better advocate.

In this session, the girls narrated their journey so far through the flow of the river (a metaphor). That is why it is called it ‘River Reflection Exercise’. During this session, I personally experienced the uphill climb of the river and also witnessed the happiness, courage, success, and challenges of all the GYW.

For the GYW, “She Leads” is not just a program, but an ideology; it serves as a beacon of change, demonstrating that when girls and young women are given the tools and platforms, their voices can create a ripple effect of positive transformation. Their success stories are a testament to their strategic approach, focusing on building capacity, fostering partnerships, and influencing policy at every level.

For most of the GYW, the program was building a community where girls could find a safe space to grow and lead, giving them the skills and confidence to participate in public speaking forums and technical working committees on various topics. This has led to an incredible increase in their visibility and influence.

GYW shared how they are influencing policy and securing a seat at the table and engaging constructively with government bodies and members of parliament. They have directly influenced critical legislation. On the international stage, GYW from the program have become powerful advocates. They have participated in major international forums, where they’ve made declarations and served as panelists. This global exposure has not only amplified their voices but has also led to new funding opportunities, such as grants for climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programs.

While the GYW celebrated numerous successes, they were not immune to significant challenges (like the difficult course of the river and high tides) that threatened to derail their engagement and progress. There were many challenges and low points in the beginning, and the resilience of the team and the girls and young women involved navigated through a difficult landscape to achieve their goals.

At the beginning of the intervention, many were facing major external crises like food security issues, tribal conflicts, poverty, negative gender norms, abuse and violence, etc. The challenges, multiplied by the COVID-19 pandemic, prevented in-person meetings, disrupted community engagement, and made the families more vulnerable.

During the interaction with GYWs, I realised that the biggest struggle for them was overcoming entrenched social and cultural norms, abuse, and violence that resisted their engagement and leadership. The initial lack of community acceptance, driven by cultural and religious beliefs, was a major obstacle. As one reflection noted, changing these norms is a slow process, likened to moving a crocodile. While the program worked to change these mindsets, the process was often slow and required persistent effort, underscoring the need for more extensive community training.

They not only fought on home ground but also confronted a lack of political will, with key legislations facing significant delays, insufficient public budgetary allocation to engage girls in policy-level discussions, a negative approach to their participation, etc. The shrinking spaces for civil society engagement and the recent demonisation of ‘gender’ program support added fuel to existing woes, posing a long-term threat to advocacy efforts.

Also what I realised during the ‘river reflection’ exercise is that empowering girls and young women is crucial, and it must be done in a way that addresses both the visible and unseen obstacles, from deep-seated cultural norms to political apathy and financial constraints. Despite all the difficulties, the program’s legacy endures through the empowered and resilient young leaders it has created.

The joint statement of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Committee on the Rights of the Child emphasises how to end  harmful practices as these practices are deeply rooted in social attitudes according to which women and girls are regarded as inferior to men and boys based on stereotyped roles. The committee also highlighted the gender dimension of violence and that sex- and gender-based attitudes and stereotypes, power imbalances, inequalities and discrimination perpetuate the widespread existence of practices that often involve violence or coercion and just gender based violence. The Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees the right of all children to live free from violence. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also include a commitment to ending all forms of violence against children, leaving no one behind. Achieving the SDGs means creating safe, inclusive and empowering environments for all children and youth. Achieving all these commitments and goals requires resources and synergised multi sectoral efforts.  

The “She Leads” program has demonstrated that investing in young women is one of the most effective ways to drive social, political, and economic change. It’s not just a program; it’s a movement that is building a new generation of leaders who are ready to take charge of their future.

This is a proud moment for all the implementing partners, program donors, and contributors like me. Let’s commit to investing more, securing additional resources, and working together to end violence and child exploitation to create a more gender-friendly world.