From grassroots to states, let women lead. Stability, hope and innovation will follow | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Sahle-Work Zewde

"This year, as the United Nations convenes for its 80th general assembly and the world watches, we believe there is no issue more urgent than the rise of female African leaders. From peace and education to health and climate, women are not just affected by crises, they are leading the solutions. It is time for funders, policymakers, multilateral institutions and development agencies to step up, boldly invest and ensure that African women are empowered to lead."

"It has a burgeoning youth population, with millions of young people entering adulthood each year. Africa's destiny will be shaped by those who lead it. And women and girls account for a large and growing share of this demographic rise. Across sub-Saharan Africa there are about 145 million adolescent girls, and Africa's population of girls under the age of 18 is predicted to increase to approximately 465 million by the middle of this century."

"Female peacekeepers and mediators restore trust, build bridges, protect women and children in conflict These numbers are not abstract. They mean that for good or ill, the kind of leadership we support today, including that of women, will determine whether Africa's youth become a source of stability, hope and innovation or fuel for instability, exclusion and crisis. Around the world, we have seen what happens when young people feel left behind and not fully represented. This is where female leaders come in."

The rise of female African leaders is the most urgent global issue amid the UN's 80th General Assembly. Women lead solutions across peace, education, health, and climate while also facing crises. Sub‑Saharan Africa's rapidly growing youth population includes about 145 million adolescent girls today and is projected to host roughly 465 million girls under 18 by midcentury. Female peacekeepers, mediators, and negotiators restore trust, build community bridges, protect women and children in conflict, and bring gender‑sensitive perspectives to negotiations. Funders, policymakers, multilateral institutions, and development agencies must invest boldly to empower African women to lead and shape the continent's future.

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