Reflections from the African Regional Convening Towards Women Deliver 2026
Attending the African Regional Convening towards Women Deliver 2026 , which was a high value opportunity given to me by YouthhubAfrica , it was both powerful and refreshing. As the Lead of Today for Tomorrow Initiative, a youth-led organization I have been building, leading, and learning through for nearly 10 years, and the National Coordinator of the African Adolescent and Youth Network (AFRIYAN Nigeria), this convening was more than an opportunity to attend a meeting.African voices were not just present; they were leading, influencing, and shaping the direction of the work.
One of the key moments for me was b It was a space to make real contributions that strengthen youth leadership and ensure better inclusion in GBV and SRHR interventions for adolescents and young people across Africa.
It was inspiring to see Africans from different countries come together, sitting in the same room, sharing experiences, and jointly driving conversations that will shape how Africa shows up and is represented at Women Deliver 2026. eing able to contribute actively to conversations around Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) across the continent. Together with other young leaders and advocates, we pushed for a stronger focus on long-term healing and mental health support for survivors. From years of working closely with survivors, it is clear that short-term interventions are not enough. Survivors need sustained care, emotional support, and systems that truly help them rebuild their lives.
Beyond healing, we also raised clear demands on how youth-led work should be supported across Africa. These included:
• At least 35% of program funding goes directly to youth-led organizations across different thematic areas.
• An additional 16% of funding is dedicated to capacity strengthening, mentorship, and technical support for youth-led organizations, especially those without strong technical structures.
• Moving beyond policy conversations to make SRHR education compulsory in all school curricula.
• Ensuring young people are fully included in decision-making spaces, not just as beneficiaries, but as drivers of ideas and solutions.
• Strengthening existing grassroots networks to improve coordination, accountability, and effective programming.
• Making sure funding is linked to implementation and real impact, not just proposals and reports.
• Advancing the localization agenda by channeling funds directly to local and grassroots actors, rather than relying mainly on international NGOs.
• Improving safety and protection for human rights defenders, especially those working on the frontlines in conflict and high-risk areas.
The convening also led to practical outcomes beyond the meeting room. I was able to move a motion for the creation of an Africa Youth-Led Organizations Database, which will help improve visibility, coordination, and access to opportunities for youth-led groups across the continent. I also offered to develop the first draft of this database, a process that is currently ongoing.
Through connections made during the convening, AFRIYAN East and Southern Africa and AFRIYAN Nigeria were able to collaborate on a regional activity that was concluded during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This collaboration brought together over 146 young people across regions, creating space for shared learning and collective action.
I was also able to introduce the Today for Tomorrow Innovative Menstrual Card Game to partners, activists, and development actors during the convening. The tool received strong interest as a simple and effective way to engage young people on menstrual health, leading to the purchase of 18 copies by different partners for use in their communities. In addition, I shared the AFRIYAN Nigeria brochure, highlighting the work we have been doing nationally, and promoted our national policy brief to ensure Nigeria’s youth voices were part of the wider continental conversation.
Another powerful part of the experience was meeting young leaders who are doing incredible work in their own spaces. Their passion, commitment, and consistency were deeply inspiring to both myself and Ugbede Idajili, and it reaffirmed why investing in youth leadership truly matters.
All of these outcomes were made possible by the opportunity to attend the African Regional Convening towards Women Deliver 2026, a space that moved beyond discussions to real action, collaboration, and results. I want to say a very big thank you to YouthHubAfrica for this opportunity and for continuously trusting young people to lead.
As we move closer to Women Deliver 2026, this experience is a strong reminder that when young people are given space, trust, and resources, we don’t just participate, we build systems and drive change.
Adek Bassey
