The Girls Advocacy Development Network, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and other organisations, has officially launched the seventh National Girls Summit 2026.
The summit, which will take place in Kenema from 13 to 17 October 2026, will be held under the theme: “Our Power in Action: Protecting Our Future.”
The official launch and press conference provided a platform for girls and young people to discuss the challenges they face, present their demands and call for greater investment in their development and well-being.
According to the organisers, the National Girls Summit is more than an annual gathering. It is a safe, inclusive and youth-centred platform where girls and young women can speak openly, develop leadership skills, demand accountability and influence decisions affecting their lives and futures.
The initiative seeks to ensure that girls are recognised not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as young people with ideas, solutions, rights and the ability to lead meaningful change.
The summit will cover key areas affecting girls and young women, including leadership, healthcare, protection, education, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, mentorship and advocacy.
It will bring together participants from different districts, age groups and social backgrounds, including girls with disabilities, to exchange ideas, build networks and develop practical solutions to the challenges affecting them.
The organisers stressed that sustained investment in the summit would help build a generation of confident girls who understand their rights, develop leadership abilities and find their voices.
“Investing in NGS every year means investing in a generation of girls who are building confidence, developing leadership, understanding their rights, creating networks and finding their voices,” the organisers stated.
They added that the summit provides a consistent platform for girls to communicate their needs directly to decision-makers instead of having decisions made for them without their participation.
The organisers also expressed appreciation to the partners supporting the 2026 edition, noting that their investment and commitment are helping to create opportunities for girls and young people to connect, learn and transform their voices into action.
They further invited more institutions, development partners and allies to support the National Girls Summit beyond a single event, stressing that sustained opportunities for girls to lead can positively affect families, communities and Sierra Leone’s future.
With preparations underway for the main summit in Kenema, organisers have announced the official commencement of pre-summit activities.
The 2026 National Girls Summit aims to move girls from dialogue to action, from being spoken about to speaking for themselves, and from participation to leadership.
