A summit that seeks to champion and sustain the leadership of young people especially, Girls and Young Women (GYW) in decision-making across the African continent is in the works.

The four-day “She Leads Africa Summit 2025” is set to be held in Nairobi from August 11, 2025.

It is the first continental summit that seeks to ensure young people play an active role in decision-making spaces.

“Africa, with its vibrant youth, including over 116 million under 35 in East Africa alone, is a continent of immense potential. Yet, the leadership of young people, especially Girls and Young Women (GYW), remains undervalued,” a statement by She Leads, a five-year joint programme aiming at advancing GYW rights to meaningful participation and engagement in regional decision-making spaces in Africa, reads in part.

“Girls and Young Women are actively addressing global issues such as climate change, digital inequality, gender-based violence, and economic injustice, but are often excluded from decision-making. Now is the time to change this.”

According to She Leads, as Africa nears the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline, there is urgent need to protect progress and ensure Girls and Young Women are sufficiently integrated in decision-making processes.

The summit will be held under the theme, ¨Sustaining Girls and Young Women Leadership in Key Decision-Making Spaces in Africa¨.

It is organized by the Horn of Africa Youth Network (HoAYN) and Terre des Hommes Netherlands, in collaboration with a host of other organizations.

It marks the first-ever regional civil society-led summit convened for and by GYW across the continent.

Hosted in the Eastern Africa region, the Summit is seen as both a powerful culmination of the five-year She Leads programme (2021–2025) and a bold step forward in shaping policies that place Girls and Young Women at the centre of decision-making.