International Youth Day – 12 August 2021

6 ways we are truly a young women’s  movement:

The World YWCA is a grassroots-driven, global movement rooted in the leadership of women, young women, and girls. Truly centred on young women and girls, when #YoungWomenLead, we transform the world for the better:

  1. Our Goal 2035 is bold and transformative: We aim to reach 100 million young women and girls to transform power structures to create justice, gender equality and a world without violence, leading a sustainable YWCA movement, inclusive of all. It is reflected in all we do strategically and day-to-day.
  2. Young women make up 60% of our board members at World YWCA – from all over the world, with different backgrounds and knowledge.
  3. An investor: We invest in and prioritise training and programmes that focus on building skills, confidence, and knowledge in young women and girls, providing resources for them to become advocates for their rights and to address the issues they and their communities face.
  4. A networker: We ensure that young women and girls are not just involved in our work; they are vital to processes and milestones at every level of our programming, fundraising, communications, engagement, consultations and community work. With the support and connections fostered through the YWCA— we mobilise young women and allies in other communities, leading to a powerful, growing network.
  5. An incubator: We provide platforms, safe spaces and capacity building to raise young women’s voices and implement their ideas and initiatives, connecting them to a global cohort of young women leaders. 
  6. Inclusive: We work with diverse groups from all parts of the world, across many intersections of race, class, sexuality, age, and other forms of discrimination and privilege. Our commitment to prioritise and provide support to young women and girls means that we are inclusive and take care to consider their lived realities in all we do.