In June 2025, Egypt’s Assiut Governorate witnessed dynamic youth-led mobilization, spearheaded by a group of women and young girls participating in the “She Leads” program, implemented by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD). The participants organized and carried out a series of interactive community-based development and awareness activities focused on strengthening the role of girls in health and education.
As a result of the active engagement of these women and girls, four integrated initiatives were launched in collaboration with the Giving Without Limits Association (GWLA). The events included an interactive awareness session titled “Five Stories,” which aimed to raise awareness among girls about their health rights by presenting real-life stories and using innovative communication methods, making the discussion more relatable and impactful. This was followed by a community theater performance highlighting the challenges of education and early marriage, sparking open dialogue with parents and local stakeholders on how to address these issues.
In a creative attempt to use art as a tool for change, a joint art workshop brought together local activists and youth. The girls themselves transformed key awareness messages into powerful visual expressions. The workshop concluded with a mural painting session, where the outcomes of the initiatives were immortalized on the walls of a community center in Ibnub. These murals expressed the visions and dreams of the girls in vivid imagery.
Simultaneously, a community sports activity was also held, using physical activity as a means to boost self-confidence, promote positive communication, foster leadership skills among girls, and enhance their social integration.
Reflecting on the significance of their participation, the girls involved in the “She Leads” program emphasized that these initiatives embody the program’s core mission: empowering girls from diverse backgrounds with the tools and knowledge they need to become initiators and changemakers in their communities.
The “She Leads” program aims to support fair representation between men and women to participate more in decision-making processes, through capacity building activities that focus on increasing girls’ and women’s access to education and skills development, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and engaging them in the political process, in addition to building advocacy skills, meaningful interaction, and raising awareness, through a collaborative and inclusive approach at the regional and international levels.
