Unleashing Authentic Feminine Leadership
A Pan-African gathering where adolescent girls and young women connect, co-create, champion, and celebrate — on their own terms.
“Legacy in Motion: Her Voice, Her Power, Our Future” — GA 2025
A space where girls arrive as themselves, and leave as leaders
The Annual Girls Assembly is a transformative Pan-African platform where adolescent girls and young women engage directly with policy makers to Connect, Co-create, Champion, and Celebrate. It is a movement-strengthening strategy that cultivates leadership, strengthens agency, protects autonomy, and amplifies the voices of girls — within a safe, dynamic environment built for them.
Over the past five years, Polycom Girls has convened the Girls Assembly as part of its continued commitment to creating impactful spaces for adolescent girls and young women. Hundreds of participants have shared how the experience left a lasting impact on their confidence, agency, and leadership, and amplified their voices in decision-making spaces that shape their futures.
Now entering its sixth edition under the theme “Unleashing Authentic Feminine Leadership,” the Assembly celebrates girls as leaders, innovators, storytellers, and changemakers — while holding space for wellness, connection, creativity, and authentic self-expression.
Leadership that looks and feels like them
Six intentions anchor the sixth edition, each one built to help girls grow into leadership that reflects who they truly are.
A gathering of generations, working together
Students, young leaders, and community advocates from diverse backgrounds across the region.
Decision-makers engaging directly with girls in dialogue that shapes real outcomes.
Voices bringing a wider lens to the conversations on girlhood and leadership.
Women guiding intergenerational learning, mentorship, and shared growth.
Four outcomes, one spirit
Every part of the Assembly is designed to deliver on these four commitments.
Strengthening networks, mentorship, and shared experiences that foster belonging and solidarity.
Generating innovative ideas and collaborative solutions that reflect authentic girlhood and leadership.
Building confidence, amplifying voices, and advancing agency in decision-making spaces.
Honoring wellness, identity, resilience, and the diverse journeys of girls as leaders and changemakers.
Proposed programme
These sessions are signature parts of every Girls Assembly — the Light Awakening, the Panel Dialogue Circle, the Wellness Rotation, and more return each edition, carrying the spirit of the Assembly forward from one year to the next.
Awakening Identity, Voice & Feminine Leadership
Dress code: a colour that speaks to youPanel dialogue circle
Speakers and participants engage in a circle-style dialogue exploring authentic feminine leadership, identity, wellness, and lived experience.
Light awakening (torch moment)
In a dimmed space, participants hold unlit torches at their tables. On a collective countdown, the torches are lit together — symbolizing the awakening of inner voice, identity, courage, and collective strength.
Table-based Mentimeter challenge
A live interactive competition turns the morning's key ideas into friendly, table-based teamwork around leadership, wellness, and identity.
Envelope reflection competition
Teams work through envelopes of words, definitions, and reflective prompts, sparking conversation and creative thinking around leadership and wellness.
Creative reflection spaces
Quiet time for coloring, journaling, and visual interpretation — space to process the day at one's own pace.
Closing circle
Participants share one takeaway, feeling, or commitment from the day, reinforcing connection and collective learning.
Wellness, Restoration & Collective Strength
Dress code: Jersey day — "we are on the same team"Arrival & grounding space
Soft music, breathing exercises, and light movement ease participants into a calm, present space.
Zumba & movement wellness session
A guided Zumba session builds joyful, energizing movement, emotional release, and collective engagement.
Wellness rotation experience
Stations centered on reflection, affirmation, and emotional wellbeing, including a small canvas activity — each participant takes their artwork home.
Jersey spirit & chant moment
Group chants and call-and-response moments rooted in unity, identity, and the message that girls rise stronger together.
FemiInspire showcase space
Award nominees display their posters and speak with participants about their initiatives over breaks and lunch.
FemiInspire online voting
Participants cast individual votes online, keeping the process fair, transparent, and free of bias.
Closing reflection & transition
A short collective moment to appreciate the day's wellness experience and close out the Assembly.
The FemiInspire Awards
Nominees showcase real initiatives led by girls and young women. Meet them at the showcase space, then help choose the winners through fair, transparent online voting.