Girls call for greater voice in leadership and decision making

Over 120 adolescent girls and young women from across Kenya convened in Nairobi for the 6th Annual Girls Assembly, advocating for expanded opportunities for girls and young women to actively engage in leadership, decision-making, and development processes affecting their lives and communities. The theme, "Unleashing Authentic Feminine Leadership," saw Polycom Girls host a gathering that united diverse participants, including girls, young women, female leaders, policymakers, development partners, and advocates for women's rights.

The assembly served as a forum for sharing ideas, engaging in discussions, learning, and networking. Key issues discussed included ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG), Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), girls' agency and participation in decision-making, climate justice, WASH, women's economic justice and rights, Women, Peace and Security, and male allyship and partnerships.

With Kenya preparing for the 2027 General Election, participants stressed the importance of peaceful political participation and the need to create spaces for young women to contribute to public decision-making. Polycom Girls' founder and executive director, Jane Anyango, emphasized the organization's commitment to empowering girls with leadership skills and encouraging their meaningful participation in governance and political processes.

The keynote speaker, H.E. Henk Jan Bakker, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Kenya and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat, urged young leaders to remain receptive to diverse perspectives, emphasizing that a good leader is open to other opinions and voices. He also highlighted that while development partners can offer support, sustainable development ultimately hinges on community and government ownership.

Aphline Yogo, Programs Officer at Polycom Girls, explained that the Assembly was designed to provide girls with a platform to develop and advance their ideas. The intentional participation and ownership approach ensured that the girls shaped the Assembly and the discussions. Executive Director of the SDGs Kenya Forum, Florence Syevuo, stressed the importance of aligning development conversations with the lived realities of girls and young women, specifically addressing issues like safe environments, menstrual health and hygiene, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

She stressed that girls and young women must be involved in identifying solutions and urged partners to work directly with them. Over the past five years, the Annual Girls Assembly has brought together more than 1,000 young women, fostering mentorship, policy engagement, and the translation of gender equality commitments into opportunities for girls to lead and effect change.

Guided by the principles of connect, co-create, champion, and celebrate, the 6th Assembly also highlighted the need for sustainability and locally led development. Participants stressed that while development partners can offer resources, communities and grassroots organizations require the capacity, ownership, and partnerships necessary to sustain their work beyond individual projects.

The Assembly set the stage for further discussions on peace and social cohesion ahead of Kenya's 2027 elections, with Polycom Girls planning the 7th Annual Girls Assembly to place greater emphasis on peace, ensuring that girls and young women are not only participants in electoral processes but are also equipped to contribute to peaceful and inclusive communities.