Worldwide we are witnessing a rise in activism led by girls and young women (GYW) that challenges gender inequality, exclusion, and injustice. Every day, courageous girls and young women are on the frontlines, demanding change and their right to be included. The increase of their involvement in social activism accounts for many breakthroughs across the globe.

Yet activism of GYW remains under-resourced. Discriminatory gender and age related social norms restrict civic space or even deny girls and young women access. This limits their right to organise freely, voice their opinions, and participate meaningfully in social and political life, both online and offline.

Many African and Middle Eastern governments exclude girls and young women’s voices from the political domain, and with the worldwide trend of closing and changing civic space, it becomes harder for girls and young women to express opinions, assemble and associate.

Youth activist Esther (23) from Sierra Leone: “Being a girl in this world is a challenge. But as activists, we are able to face them.”

She Leads is a five-year joint programme of Plan International Netherlands, Defence for Children – ECPAT the Netherlands (DCI-ECPAT), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), and Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

The She Leads consortium unites child rights organisations, feminist/women’s rights organisations and groups led by Girls and Young Women. The consortium works together with local partners in Lebanon, Jordan, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and on regional and global level.

The She Leads programme objective is to increase sustained influence of girls and young women on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.

Three interrelated outcomes are needed to achieve this objective:

1. Collective GYW action and activism in a gender-responsive civil society
2. Increased acceptance of positive social gender norms
3. Political institutions at all levels enable full and meaningful participation of GYW in decision-making.

At the heart of our partnership is the shared belief that girls and young women should make their own decisions on matters that affect their lives now and in the future. The programme leads by example: the focus and lobbying objectives are determined by girls and young women themselves. Moreover, in each programme country a young woman is at the helm as network coordinator.