The Young Women Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI) is AWOMI’s youth power flagship program. The objectives of the YOWLI are to:
To enhance young women and men’s knowledge economic development processes
To widen their horizons and enhance their networking and organizing capacity
To Support their efforts in monitoring the realization of their economic and social rights.
The YOWLI is a one-month long activity held once every two years. It contributes in nurturing democratic citizenship and dialogue between Africa and its Diaspora. It brings together young people age 18 to 29 with vast reserves of energy and potentials to critically question the state of things and seek sustainable development answers.
Since the first YOWLI held on June-July 2006, AWOMI has been working with energetic young adults to consolidate the achievements and keep the momentum and YOWLI spirit. Several young women who participated developed innovative initiatives to respond to the follow up action plan they had put together. In addition to supporting these initiatives AWOMI enhanced intergenerational networking by connecting YOWLI participants with organizations and leaders in their respective countries and opening more spaces for their participation in policy dialogue.
This 2008 YOWLI was held from 30 June 2008 to 25 July 2008 on the Gorée Island, Senegal.It was a landmark as it coincides with the 60th the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In addition to learning, building networks, sharing stories, experiencing field visits and enjoying Senegalese arts and culture, participants marked history by identifying collectively a symbolic action that they will propel as a call to the world to boldly carry forward the spirit and recommendations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The YOWLI culminated in an international workshop that took place on 21 and 22 July 2008. This workshop was an opportunity to bring recognized leaders of the global women’s movement to engage with YOWLI fellows and set together an agenda demanding measurable interventions for advancing social justice especially for most excluded people and communities as the world move s towards the midterm deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The 3rd YOWLI will be held in December 2010 in Senegal.
YOWLI 2nd EDITION 2008 DECLARATION
We the young women and men of Africa and the Diaspora have gathered at the Mariama Ba
School for Girls on Goree Island in Dakar Senegal for the 2nd Young Women’s Knowledge and
Leadership Institute (YOWLI) in the context of AWOMI’s broader strategic direction.
The second YOWLI took place in the Island of Goree in Senegal from June 28th to July 28th 2008. The programme brought together young activists for economic justice and economists for an intensive one-month gender-sensitive training on economics and social justice. This time around a new curriculum was developed around the theme of achieving social and economic rights and focussed on key issues that are fundamental to fighting for these rights such as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Economics, human rights framework analysis for economic and social policy analysis, formulation, monitoring and accountability. Strategic thinking towards women enhancing their economic and social rights for policy change, right to water, descent employment, adequate housing, political voice and representation, a life free from violence, information, adequate skills, food and good nutrition., communication for social change, and leadership were all issues that were dealt with during the month long programme.
The Young Women’s Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI) is one of the Flagshp programs of AWOMI.YOWLI was set up to enable young women and men of African descent to widen their leadership horizons, enhance their knowledge base and actively engage in monitoring and fighting for social justice.
