The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) convened the WYDE Women’s Leadership Young Women’s Empowerment Academy in ECOWAS which brought together 25 young women aspiring or emerging political/community leaders, interested in standing for elective positions and elected young women officials pursuing political and leadership skills strengthening.

The Academy was convened within the framework of the European Union (EU)-funded Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) Women’s Leadership Initiative, implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), under the overall coordination and leadership of UN Women.

Over three days, participants expressed the enhancement of their understanding of democratic processes, gender norms and social norms intersectionality with young women’s participation and representation in politics, leadership and decision making at all levels, transformative leadership, violence against women manifests in political spaces, highlighting both the personal and structural dimensions of the problem, the critical role of digital media in shaping women’s leadership, visibility, and influence in politics, emphasizing that in today’s world, digital presence is inseparable from political presence and personal development.

Read more at: https://www.idea.int/news/wyde-academy-young-women-leaders-ecowas