CALLING ALL ADVOCATES UNDER 28: Women Deliver’s Award-Winning Young Leaders Program Now Accepting Applications for the 2018 Class of Young Leaders
New York, NY, 12 August 2017 – Women Deliver’s award-winning Young Leaders Program is now
accepting applications for the 2018 Class of Young Leaders. The organization symbolically announces
the application call on International Youth Day.
Since 2010, Women Deliver’s Young Leaders Program has trained, supported, and elevated more
than 400 youth advocates in 108 countries who are tackling the greatest challenges facing girls,
women, and young people in their communities. The new class of 300 Women Deliver Young
Leaders will join this global network of changemakers who are catalyzing progress for gender
equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls, women, and young people – with a particular
emphasis on sexual and reproductive health and rights and meaningful youth engagement.
“People often say that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. But, young people are leaders and
powerful agents of change today—right here and right now,” said Katja Iversen, President/CEO of
Women Deliver. “They reject the status quo and instead drive change for girls and women in
courageous and innovative ways. The Women Deliver Young Leaders Program gives young advocates
the skills, resources, connections, and global platforms they need to maximize their impact and
share their solutions with the world.”
Similar to past years, the 2018 class of Young Leaders will receive the training and resources
necessary to extend their influence and actively shape the programs and policies that affect the
health, rights, and wellbeing of girls, women, and young people. This includes going through the
Women Deliver’s Digital University courses, accessing small grants for advocacy projects,
opportunities to speak on national and global stages through Women Deliver Speakers Bureau, and
attending the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, which will take place in Vancouver, Canada in June
2019.
The Women Deliver Young Leaders Program is renowned; over the last 18 months Women Deliver
Young Leaders have been invited to speak at more than 150 events at the national and global levels,
been appointed to 9 high-level boards and task forces, and featured in more than 175 media
stories.
Testimonials from Women Deliver Young Leaders:
• “The Young Leaders Program is the reason for many firsts in my career as an
advocate/activist. [It] provided me an avenue to improve how I advocate for sexual and
reproductive health and rights in the Philippines...I have grown more mature as a young
leader and it has helped keep my passion for SRHR burning.”—Anthony Lopez, 26 years old,
the Philippines.
• “Prior to the programme, I was a vocal advocate in a half-filled room. The Young Leaders
Program has positioned me to explore my youth voice across dynamic global platforms
where it matters most.”—Olaoluwa Abagun, 25 years old, Nigeria.
• “My ability to advocate within government circles has tremendously increased.”—Desmond
Atanga, 25 years old, Cameroon.
• “I developed so many skills and was given a platform I would not have had were it not for
this program. I feel empowered to continue my work even after this project has ended.”—
Kizanne James, 30 years old, Trinidad and Tobago.
• “From being able to share my experiences in a platform like the Women Deliver Conference
to receiving my very first grant to run a full-fledged project in rural Nepal acknowledging a
rather neglected issue, it has proved to be a very rich experience for me.”—Aditi Sharma, 28
years old, Nepal.
Iversen added, “I’m continually inspired by the work of our Young Leaders. Each class has moved the
needle on gender equality in new ways, and I can’t wait to see how the 2018 class is going to change
the world.”
Women Deliver looks forward to welcoming 300 young advocates into the 2018 class of Young
Leaders. All applicants between the ages 15-28 (born between December 31, 2002 and December
31, 1989) with demonstrated interest in Women Deliver’s mission are encouraged to apply by
Friday, 13 October 2017.
Additional information and the application for the Women Deliver Young Leaders Program can be
found here.
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About Women Deliver: As a leading, global advocate for the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and
women, Women Deliver brings together diverse voices and interests to drive progress for gender
equality, with a particular focus on maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights. We build
capacity, share solutions, and forge partnerships, together creating coalitions, communication, and
action that spark political commitment and investment in girls and women.
Women Deliver’s Young Leaders Program trains, elevates, and empowers youth advocates to
catalyze action for gender equality, including the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls,
women, and young people. The program provides youth advocates with the training and resources
necessary to be meaningfully engaged, extend their influence, and actively shape the programs and
policies that affect their lives. Started in 2010, the award-winning Women Deliver Young Leaders
Program is comprised of 400 youth advocates from more than 100 countries, with 300 more
scheduled to join in early 2018.
Learn more at womendeliver.org/youth and follow us on Twitter at @YouthDeliver and @WomenDeliver
