Fairway Hotel, Kampala | 25th June 2025
The close-out event, organized by the She Leads Uganda Country Consortium — comprising Terre des Hommes Netherlands, Plan International Uganda, and FEMNET, together with seven implementing partners including Trailblazers Mentoring Foundation (TMF), Girl Up Initiative Uganda (GUIU), IDIWA, YADNET, GLS, MUCOBADI, and KAWUO — served as a moment of reflection, celebration, and commitment to sustaining the movement beyond the programme’s lifespan.
The She Leads programme, implemented in Uganda since 2021 under the Power of Voices Strategic Partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, sought to enhance the sustained influence of girls and young women on decision-making and transform gender norms through advocacy, leadership development, and movement building at local, national, and international levels.
Celebrating Impact and Transformation
In her opening remarks, Juliet Luutu Barasa, Program Manager, Plan International Netherlands, described the She Leads journey as “a movement that started with a vision and grew into a force for transformation across Uganda.” She reflected on how the programme empowered girls and young women many of whom had no prior leadership experience to influence policies, challenge societal norms, and lead advocacy campaigns.
Panel discussions featured diverse voices, including representatives from government ministries, Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, cultural and religious institutions, and girls’ groups. Stakeholders reiterated the importance of sustaining the gains of She Leads and integrating its approaches into existing systems and policies.
Kantono Safiat, a youth advocate from TMF in Kamuli, during the panel discussion called for ongoing stakeholder commitment: “The programme may be closing, but the movement must continue. We need spaces, support, and trust to lead beyond this room.”
Documenting Success and Lessons
Throughout the five years, She Leads Uganda achieved notable impact, including:
- Training and mentoring hundreds of girls and young women to become local and national advocates.
- Influencing gender-responsive policy changes at the district and national levels.
- Establishing vibrant girl-led clubs and advocacy campaigns in 8 districts: Kampala, Wakiso, Bugiri, Iganga, Kamuli, Buyende, Napak, and Moroto.
- Strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to support girl-led movements.
- Promoting positive gender norms and engaging traditional and religious leaders as allies.
A walk down memory lane through a gallery walk to celebrate GYW achievements voices, resilience & unstoppable drive
Commitment to Sustainability
The meeting concluded with a Call to Action and Stakeholder Commitment Board, where participants signed their pledge to continue supporting girl-led action beyond She Leads. Key messages centered around:
- Institutionalizing She Leads strategies within local government, education, and civil society structures.
- Ensuring financial and policy support for girl-led movements.
- Leveraging lessons learned to design future programs that center the voices of girls and young women.
A Movement That Lives On
While the programme’s implementation phase officially ends in 2025, She Leads Uganda leaves behind a powerful legacy of empowered girls, strengthened partnerships, and a growing national movement for gender equality and youth leadership.
As Linnet Awor, the technical Advisor , Lobby and Advocacy Terre des hommes the She Leads Lead partner in Uganda aptly put it as she closed the meeting, “This is not an end. It’s a transition into deeper, broader, and more locally owned action for girls’ rights.”
