Young People’s Participation at the African Regional Convening Towards Women Deliver 2026
Reclaiming Space, Rebuilding Power: Feminist and Youth-Led Action for SRHR in Africa.
24–26 November 2025.
Girls Not Brides played a key role in ensuring young people were meaningfully represented at the African Regional Convening Towards Women Deliver 2026. By facilitating the participation of youth advocates from across the region, Girls Not Brides helped create an intergenerational space where emerging leaders engaged directly with feminist movements, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) practitioners, and policymakers shaping Africa’s advocacy agenda.
The convening brought together a diverse community committed to advancing gender justice and improving SRHR outcomes for girls and young women. Throughout the discussions, youth participants supported by Girls Not Brides shared their priorities, lived experiences, and co-created practical strategies that respond to the realities facing adolescent girls across Africa.
Central conversations explored persistent barriers to SRHR services, shrinking civic space for activists, the impact of funding cuts on local organisations, and the need for sustainable feminist financing. Young people contributed fresh perspectives on strengthening collective action, leveraging digital organising, and building more resilient and inclusive movements.
The convening emphasised feminist governance and accountability, with youth advocates engaging in conversations about shifting power, strengthening leadership pathways, and ensuring policy processes recognise the needs and voices of adolescents. Through Girls Not Brides’ facilitation, youth participants shaped discussions on using frameworks such as the Africa Union (AU) Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls to accelerate reforms, including efforts to end child marriage.
The convening highlighted the importance of grounding global advocacy in local experiences. Youth representatives spoke candidly about stigma, misinformation, and gaps in youth-friendly SRHR services. They called for comprehensive sexuality education, accessible community resources, and stronger mechanisms for young people to hold decision-makers accountable. Their contributions reinforced the critical role of youth leadership in bridging the divide between global commitments and community realities.
By supporting youth engagement, Girls Not Brides ensured young people not only attended the convening but also influenced the regional roadmap leading to Women Deliver 2026. Their presence strengthened collective advocacy efforts and affirmed that youth leadership is essential in shaping Africa’s SRHR and gender justice agenda.
As the continent moves towards Women Deliver 2026, Girls Not Brides remains committed to amplifying youth voices, championing girl-centred advocacy, and advancing community-driven solutions to end child marriage and promote gender equality. The convening showed that when young people are supported to lead, the movement becomes stronger, more inclusive, and better positioned to drive transformational change.
Co-Author Rosilla Lenanyokie is a second-year student at USIU–Africa and a member of the Girls Not Brides Youth Panel. She brings fresh ideas, leadership, and advocacy to the movement to end child marriage, helping ensure that youth perspectives shape strategies and solutions for girls across Africa and beyond.
Contributing to this convening reinforced the power of meaningful youth engagement in shaping Africa’s SRHR agenda. The discussions reminded me that young people are not just beneficiaries but essential partners in advocacy, accountability, and movement-building. I am grateful for the space created for us to share our lived experiences, influence policy conversations, and collaborate with feminist leaders working toward a more just and equitable future for girls across the continent. Our voices matter, and platforms like these show what we can achieve when we are supported to lead.
In the time it has taken to read this article 24 girls under the age of 18 have been married
Each year, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18
That is 23 girls every minute
Nearly 1 every 2 seconds
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